The Sun Has Risen
by TARDISTraveller
Summary: The Doctor and River's 24 years are up, and now he's on his own again (and he's really bad at that). Follow his adventure as he meets a stressed, exhausted teenager and (a bit unwillingly) allows her to travel in the TARDIS. Can one lonely soul help mend another?
1. Prologue

Prologue

Never did the Doctor despise a sunrise more. What usually meant hope; what usually symbolized a new beginning or joy on the horizon now simply meant a life with River finished. Their twenty-four year night had come to an end, leaving only sorrow and longing in its wake.

The Doctor stood with his folded hands resting on the banister. It was in that same spot that River and he had enjoyed their first conversation here on Darillium. It felt like it was only yesterday, and technically speaking it was. One very long yesterday ago.

The sun was rising well above the horizon now, shooting its bright, glaring rays into the towers ahead of him from behind the restaurant. River had left nearly two hours before, leaving the Doctor rooted to the spot where they had finished their relationship in silent tears. They both knew it was over. They both knew what last night had meant. There was no escaping the dawn as it penetrated the beautiful night sky. As it forced the stars into hiding. As the sun stole the moon's spotlight in the sky.

The Doctor's eyes were locked on the towers, unblinking. He and River had listened to them sing oh so many times. Heard the beautiful harmonies. The Doctor even played his guitar alongside them at one time or other. That made River laugh; seeing her husband the rockstar. The Doctor let out a sad chuckle and finally turned his eyes down to his slightly shaking hands.

It was all becoming real now. The fact that he'd never see River again. The awful truth that he was alone. He sighed inwardly, or maybe it was aloud. Right now he couldn't keep his thoughts straight, let alone his actions. Before he realized what he was doing, his feet had carried him back through the restaurant to the doors of the TARDIS.

She was filthy. Twenty-four years had given her a layer of dust that the Doctor silently vowed to clear off as soon as he was in a proper state of mind. His hands fumbled in his pocket for the key and when he found it, he was disgusted to find that that, too, had seen better days. Luckily, when his still shaking fingers pushed the key into the lock, it fit perfectly and allowed him the safe and warm comfort of the old ship.

Instantly, he gazed around the bright space. Everything seemed a bit smaller than he remembered, but that was okay. Maybe it was the TARDIS' way of making him feel less alone. Open spaces where friends used to stand always made the Doctor feel sad.

He sighed once more, this time definitely vocalizing it, and put his hands on the console. The soft hum of the TARDIS soothed him, and sent a warm embrace up his arms. How did she always know?

"What do I do now, eh old girl?"

The Doctor looked up at the slowly rising and falling Time Rotor before shutting his eyes and letting his head droop. Twenty-four years. It was nothing to a Time Lord. Not even comparable to his time in the Confession Dial. But it was something. He hadn't gone saving the universe in all that time. Not even one duel with a Dalek. Time had...stopped. And the Doctor knew, maybe better than anyone else, that getting out of sync with the universe made it almost impossible to get back.

"I know I'm not supposed to be alone, but who am I supposed to be with now?"

He was sending these questions to nobody, really, he realized. The TARDIS couldn't answer him. He was literally on his own in this. So he did what he always did when he was alone and grieving. He pulled down the closest lever and let the TARDIS him wherever he needed to go.


	2. The Dawn of the Doctor (1)

The Dawn of the Doctor Part 1

The bell above the door sounded the end of another endless shift. Dawn closed her eyes and rested her face in her hands. Her elbows dug into the crumb-covered marble counter. She was too tired to hold herself up. This had very possibly been the slowest day of her life. They had gotten maybe twenty customers, all of whom decided to show up just in the last half an hour of her shift. Wasn't that always the way?

Still, she couldn't be completely disappointed. At least while she was at work she didn't have to deal with the madness of her home life. Mum, mum's idiot boyfriend, bills barely payed. Hanging out at the shop didn't seem too bad compared to all that.

"Can you close up?"

Jeremy's slurred voice called her back to reality. She has nearly dozed off on the rock hard surface of the counter. God, she was tired.

"I closed up last night."

Dawn gazed at her coworker's empty face. He was barely awake. She would feel sorry for the guy if he hadn't done this to her a million times before.

"I'll stay late tomorrow, I swear."

Dawn had heard that about a million times. Still, she nodded her head and told Jeremy she'd close up, just for one more night. Even as she said it, she grit her teeth. She was going to regret letting him off this easy, she just knew it. Her hands fumbled the strings of her apron out of their knot and hung it on the wall.

It wasn't until now that Dawn truly took in the coffee shop. It was filthy. Coffee stains stuck to the tables; unpurchased, now stale, baked goods lay on a tray beside the cash register; dust bunnies lined the floor, mixing with the fallen crumbs of muffins and cakes. With a sigh, the young barista grabbed a cloth from the employee closet and began wiping down the tables.

Of course it wasn't always like this. There were days when Dawn actually loved her time at the little corner coffee shop. Especially Sundays. Sunday's were always quiet. Hipsters would come in and work on their expensive laptops, or maybe they were just messing around. Their soy latte, or whatever it was they bought nowadays, would be sitting on the table in front of them, forming a wet circle where the liquid seeped into the wood. An odd couple or two would hang out in the corner booth, sharing smiles and a scone the whole time.

Dawn opened her eyes and realized she had nearly fallen asleep again, this time leaning on a broom she didn't even know she had been holding. "Officially in desperate need for sleep," she muttered to herself quietly, sweeping a napkin into a small pile of trash she guessed she had created subconsciously.

The next twenty minutes proceeded in a similar fashion. Sweep; wipe down; close eyes for a second only to be forced back into reality from some passing car or hovering airplane. When Dawn was finally ready to leave, her eye landed on the trash bin, filled to the brim and calling her back to action. "Always something I missed."

Hastily, she tied up the trash bag and threw her purse over her shoulder, double checking that the door was locked and everything was in order. Being told off by the morning shift workers was not on her wish list. Begrudgingly, Dawn pushed open the back door and stepped out into the alley behind the shop. It had been a long time since she's been too scared to come out here alone. Or when she had actually smelled the dumpster that stood by the wall.

A lazy toss sent the trash bag into the opening of the dumpster. "Ow!"

Dawn's eyes widened in shock. The pained voice had come from inside the dumpster, she was certain. But who would be in there at this time of night? Were they homeless? Lost?Drunk? Perhaps all three?

Against all reason, Dawn took two steps towards the stranger. "Hello?"

A shadow moved among the trash. In the faint streetlight, it was almost impossible to see anything in detail, but the young woman was sure that whoever it was wasn't very big. Even their shadow was tiny, and, from what Dawn could remember from past science classes, (which, she had to admit, wasn't much), shadows were supposed to be bigger than the thing or person itself.

Slowly, a short, green creature appeared from inside the dumpster. Dawn's jaw dropped. A cat grabbed her tongue and held it for a moment. The tiny man was...was green! And not just metaphorically speaking. He was, well, not human, that was certain.

The alien looked up at the human with fear in his big, brown eyes, and then made a dash for the street. Dawn turned on her heel as the man rounded the corner and dropped her purse. She couldn't tell you why, she simply did.

Her trainers carried her across the pavement as swift as the wind. Because something about this felt...right. Like destiny. Fate. Call it a premonition, if you wish. Dawn didn't believe in any of that stuff, or anything, really, for that matter, but this felt good to her. A life that she was supposed to have but never did. A dream she had to realize. This night would change her forever. It was coursing through her veins. It was beating in her chest.

A portion of her brain accepted this as a silly, exhaustion-induced hallucination, but it was so real. She was so alive. More alive than she had been in months. Years, even. She was only seventeen, and tonight she was going to act like it. Tomorrow she'd be at school, then work, then maybe, hopefully, have some time with her mum. But tonight was for her. And she was going to chase that little green alien for as long as she could.


	3. The Dawn of the Doctor (2)

The Dawn of the Doctor Part 2

The TARDIS landed with its usual whir and thud. The Doctor's eyes were glued to the ceiling, hoping, wondering. Where had she taken him? Where was his new life supposed to start?

"Where are we, old girl?"

His gaze flitted over the screen, coordinates dancing through his head. London, Earth, 2016. A smile curled his lip, but faded almost immediately. "Somehow we always end up there, don't we?"

Like a pushy usher, the TARDIS threw open her doors, allowing them to bang against the railing. Her thief jumped at the noise and turned to its source, tossing an annoyed glare back at the Time Rotor. It seemed to rise and fall in smug laughter at him.

The Doctor unbuttoned his formal jacket and discarded it, quickly replacing it with his more Doctorly black velvet one. After mindlessly adjusting the cuffs and fixing the collar to fit his liking, he took a deep breath and stared out at the world in front of him. "Wish me luck."

He took a hesitant step through the doorway, feeling the harsh London wind whip at his face and hair instantly. The doors slammed behind him automatically. Sexy was determined to get him out of the house today.

Before he could get his bearings, the Doctor heard a shuffling in the alley in front of him. Right away he shifted into Doctor mode, eyes wide and energy high, ready for Daleks and Cybermen alike. The Oncoming Storm, the Destroyer of worlds, the Valeyard.

He was crouching behind a trash bin, preparing to jump out at whatever was behind it. An intersection of two alleys met just beyond his tiny hiding place. It was here that some kind of creature or person was stirring, lurking around. The Doctor stayed absolutely still.

Then, faintly, came the sound of approaching footsteps. Running; banging against the pavement twice a second. Coming closer. Closer.

Whoever was stirring on the other side of the trash bin halted, dropping the can they were inspecting. In of the comer of his eye, the Doctor saw a small shadow rise in the streetlight. It wasn't a Cyberman, then. More like an Adipose.

The Doctor stood and gazed down at the small creature. It was a tiny green man, facing the alley intersection, his back turned to the Timelord. Slowly, the creature seemed to register the figure behind him. With fear in every limb, he turned on the spot, eyes the size of his head. When he finally met the Doctor's fierce, furrowed eyebrow stare, the small alien let out a squeak and jumped in fright, setting off around the corner.

The Doctor followed in hot pursuit, long legs carrying him fast, but not fast enough for the tiny creature. His eyes were glued on the alien, and his senses were too focused to hear the sound of the still approaching footsteps. The young woman's panting breath. The green man's second fear-induced shout.

It wasn't until Dawn was within two meters of the Doctor, both locked in a sprint, that either of them noticed each other. Then two sets of feet stuttered to stop. Both human and Timelord let out a cry of shock. But it was too late to stop the inevitable.

Dawn swerved to the side as best she could, but one of her legs caught around the Doctor's ankle, sending both human and Timelord to the rough asphalt in a heap of limbs and shouts. Almost instantly, the young woman jumped up and checked herself over quickly, finding only some marks that would turn to bruises overnight. The Doctor slowly pushed himself up off the dirty ground and turned over. His owlish look met Dawn's doe eyes. Her brown orbs were wide with apprehension and worry.

"Are you alright? I'm so sorry."

The human stretched out a hand for the lanky alien, which he took not unwillingly. It was shocking how much a year or two could change someone. This openness to touch would've seemed ridiculous to him in the first day of this regeneration. Look at him now.

While the Doctor contemplated his personal growth, his companion was eyeing him up and down, taking in his magician coat and unruly hair. Finally, the Timelord seemed to register the woman's question, and he nodded his head fervently. "I'm fine. What about you? Any broken bones?"

Dawn allowed a smile to flicker across her lips, but it faded just as quickly as it had arrived. "Just some scraped elbows, I think."

The Doctor clasped his hands together, looking around the shadowed space around them. "Well; I'll be off, then. Got some things to do. People to meet."

He spun on the spot, but didn't make it five steps before Dawn's voice called him back. "Did you see the little green man?"

Gritting his teeth, the Doctor turned back to the young barista. "Ah; I was kind of hoping you didn't see that. You're not one of those pudding brains who's going to call the police, are you? If you do, don't mention ms. I was never here."

Dawn crossed her arms. A mixture of confusion and curiosity danced between her raised eyebrows and parted lips. "No, I don't think I'm a...did you say 'pudding brain'?"

"Well, that's good news. Anyway, like I said, better be off."

"Wait a minute now. Are little green men a normal thing in this part of town now? Because last time I checked, everyone here was human."

The Doctor bit his bottom lip anxiously, debating how much he should reveal to this stranger. Then his eyes met hers again. They were strong. Fierce. Curious. Determined. And for some reason he couldn't explain, they made his hearts break.

"Let me ask you this: what if I told you that aliens are real? They're out there in the stars, watching all you funny little humans go about your lives. Sometimes the pop in for a visit. That, or they crash; though usually they prefer the former."

Dawn took a step back towards the alley where the TARDIS stood, eyes flitting to the side nervously. "I have to get home. Mum's probably waiting on me."

The Doctor tread gently towards her. "You know I'm not a normal bloke. And you know that the little green man you saw before is real. You're just afraid to admit it to yourself."

"I have to go."

Dawn's voice was steel. Her heart was racing with fear and anxiety and, to her dismay, excitement. The man with the funny clothes was spot on: she was loving this. She was eager to learn more. But she was terrified. Very terrified. She turned on her heel towards the alley beside her, eyes landing heavily on the glowing TARDIS. "What the hell is that?"

The Doctor joined her in the alleyway entrance. "Ah, that is a police telephone box. They used to have them, to call police to a crime scene."

Dawn approached the TARDIS with peaked interest. The Doctor strayed behind, rubbing an anxious hand on the back of his neck. Was he really going to let this happen again? Of course he was, why was he being so stupid? But did he really want to deal with the heartbreak that was sure to come? Did he want to let this woman into his life? To complicate things? Make adventures more scary? Give his hearts a workout with all the fear and worry that was sure to come?

The Doctor shut his eyes and took a deep breath. It was only showing her the TARDIS. Maybe she'd run away anyway. That would make things simple. But the Doctor suspected nothing about Dawn was going to be simple. Something about her eyes told him she was someone special.

Forcing himself out of his trance, he rushed to the doors of the TARDIS, where Dawn was already holding the handle. "Wait; before you go in, I need to know: what's your name?"

"Dawn."

The Doctor held out a shaking hand, which Dawn took with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Dawn. I'm the Doctor, and this,"

Dawn pulled open the doors. The light flooding out illuminated her dropped jaw and wide eyes. The Doctor felt his smile reach across his face. "This is the TARDIS."

The young woman merely stated at the ship's interior, mouth opening and closing without any words coming out. Finally she took a step into the open space, eyes dancing around the enormity of it all. "It's bigger on the inside!"

The Doctor felt both of his hearts skip a beat at that old phrase. It had been so long, and he had lost so much, even some memories. But he was determined to let this 'Dawn' stay, at least for a little while. Maybe not a permanent companion. Not yet. But he was going to let her have a try. Even if looking at her big brown eyes caused more pain in his chest than he could explain.


	4. The Dawn of the Doctor (3)

The Dawn of the Doctor (3)

Dawn spun back to face the mysterious man. He was standing cross legged in the doorway, arms folded over his chest. Her mouth opened to ask something, but closed again as she turned back to look at the column in the center of the room, slowly raising and lowering. The ship seemed to be breathing.

The Doctor's boots clicked on the spotless floor as he came to stand beside Dawn. "It's a time machine. And space, too. The Timelords never did know when to quit."

Dawn turned to him once more, confusion plastered to her face, but shook the questions out of her head. After taking a deep breath, a smile played at her lips. "So...the little green man. How are we going to find him?"

The Doctor answered her grin with one of his own, but remained silent. His mind seemed to be elsewhere, his eyes distant. Dawn knew that look. She was the queen of that look. Quietly, she let her smile fade. "What is it?"

The Timelord shook out of his trance and met her gaze once more. "Nothing. You...remind me of someone."

"Who?"

He quickly looked away, eyebrows furrowing. "I...can't remember. Gray area. Her name was Clara. None of this seemed to bother her either. The alien; the impossible."

He paused at that word. It was so important. It held so much meaning. But he didn't know why. Impossible.

Slowly, he turned his face back to the young woman, eyebrows still furrowed in agitation. "Why am I telling you all of this? We haven't met before, have we? My brain tends to delete people when they annoy me."

Dawn chuckled, feeling a weight in her chest lift slightly. "No, not before tonight. But I think you and I would make a pretty good team."

They stared at each other for a second too long for either of them before Dawn spun back to the Console bashfully. The Doctor joined her at the controls and cleared his throat, trying desperately to forget the past few minutes had happened. It was too soon in this relationship to be talking about all of these emotions and personal things. An besides, his chest hurt talking about his past companion. Why did his chest hurt so bloody much?

Dawn, too, was glad to reach the end of their conversation. Why was she already getting so close to this stranger? Hadn't she learned her lesson enough? People can't be trusted. Especially not those you're close to. Everyone ends up breaking your heart eventually.

The Doctor fumbled around the levers and buttons, his eyes flitting to the scanner every so often. "I can track any alien signals from here; find out where our little friend is hiding. And, if I'm very lucky...yes! There's Collasa Rock on his shoes, which means..."

The Doctor pressed one final button and lifted his hand dramatically off of he controls, watching the screen with growing anticipation.

"Ugh, Doctor, what is Collasa rock? I've never heard of it."

The Doctor chuckled, but turned to the human with understanding in his eyes. "It's a sort of alien rock. It's only found on a few planets, but it's very popular on one called Collus Corpa."

"And that's where the green man is from?"

"Most likely."

Dawn read the complicated words on the screen, half of them she had never heard before. "So...so if you can trace the rock, and you've got a super complex alien time machine, you can probably transport that rock into said time machine, or bring us to it anyway. Am I right?"

The Doctor looked down at his shorter companion with wide eyes. "Exactly. How did you know that?"

With a sly grin, Dawn replied, "My mum and I used to go see a film every weekend. My favorites were always the science fiction ones."

They shared another smile before turning back to the screen. The Doctor whispered the odd language to himself and then looked down at the controls beside Dawn. "Can you press that red button?"

The barista lifted her eyebrows and gazed down at all of the controls, hands levitating above two different red buttons. "Which one?"

The Doctor pointed to Dawn's left hand. "That one. Perfect."

A bright white light appeared in front of the doors, a tiny green shape caught in the center. The girl laughed. "Did I just teleport an alien into a time machine?"

The light around the little green alien faded away slowly, leaving a stupefied tiny man standing in the middle of the TARDIS entrance. "Where am I?"

The Doctor approached the man, kneeling down to his level without hesitation. "This is the TARDIS. You crashed on the planet Earth, correct?"

The man nodded, then widened his eyes. "You two were chasing me!"

Dawn knelt beside the two men. "I didn't mean to scare you. I was getting out of work and I heard someone rummaging in the bins."

The Doctor turned to his companion. "So you went to investigate?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Have you ever seen a horror film?"

"I told you, I liked the sci-fi. And anyway, I'm curious, I'm not stupid."

The green man cleared his throat loudly, forcing both pairs of eyes back at him. "If you don't mind, can you please help me find my way home now?"

The Doctor and Dawn stood slowly. A pebble slipped out of the woman's pocket as she raised herself, landing roughly on the floor below. The green alien dashed over and gazed at the rock in awe as he handed it back to her. The Doctor simply raised his eyebrows and went back to the console, but Dawn leaned down to the alien's level again. The man's jaw had dropped. "Where did you get it?"

Dawn shrugged her shoulders. "I have a rock collection at home. I think this one's from the park."

"These are extremely rare on my planet."

Dawn looked strangely at the pebble in her hands. "It's pretty ordinary. I ply picked it up because it looked cool. See the brown mixing with the gray there?"

The alien nodded. A sparkle danced in his eyes. Dawn watched him for a moment longer before passing it off to him. "You can keep it."

The man eyed her suspiciously, but smiled as the pebble landed in his tiny hands. "Thank you. Thank you very much! How can I ever repay you?"

Dawn shook her head, dismissing the idea. Then a thought came to her.

"I think there's some rock on the bottom of your shoe. Collasa Rock?"

The alien sat on the spot and nodded his head as he turned his shoe over. "Probably. It's always making a mess on my planet. Purple dust everywhere."

As Dawn viewed the little alien's show bottom, her eyes widened. Spectacular violet rock stuck in the ridges glowed and sparkled before her. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. "That's amazing."

The Doctor's voice called from behind the human and green man, "If you think that's amazing, you'd better open the door."

Dawn cast a sideways glance at the Timelord. The smug grin on his face made him seem younger than when they'd first met. No, it wasn't the smugness. It was the grin. He was smiling and happy, happier than he had seemed able to be just a half hour or so before.

Slowly, Dawn pulled the handle of the doors, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck lift. An image formed in front of her that didn't seem real. It was a picture. It had to be. The Doctor was an artist or something. This was just a trick.

Purple rock glinted across the surface of this strange new world, flowing endlessly down the hills of the valley they were in. A city lay a short distance away, it's short silver buildings rising from the sea of purple. Clean, perfect, flawless buildings. Nothing like the dirty streets filled with rubbish that she was used to.

The Doctor and the green man followed her onto the plains the rocks crunching beneath their feet. Dawn's senses were having a field day. The smell of a nearby stream; the sparkling lavender pebbles; the sound of hovering vehicles in the distance; the taste and smell of fresh, unpolluted air.

Suddenly Dawn realized that the weight she had lived with for God know's how long had left her chest. She was happy. Actually happy. Not just 'I have a five minute break' happy. More like 'life is finally good again' happy.

The Doctor knew exactly what she was feeling, because he was feeling it, too. Though a voice in the back of his mind was screaming at him to kick her out now before he got too attached, the dominant side was living in this moment. He was happy again. Traveling. Saving the universe. River wasn't here, but Dawn was. Maybe it was time for the sun to rise.


	5. I Should Let You Go

I Should Let You Go

The Doctor and Dawn spent only an hour wandering the green man's planet, the former insisting that the latter had to get home and get some sleep. It wasn't completely unfounded (Dawn had dark bags under her eyes and she was yawning about every two minutes), but it still disappointed the young woman enormously. She didn't want to go back. Ever. Especially not now that she saw this beautiful, amazing new world. Her life was so dreary and dark and messy. This place was clean and safe and simply amazing. Why would anyone want to live on Earth after seeing all of this?

As they walked back to the little blue box, Dawn asked the Doctor this question. His only reply was a grave face and a muttered, "It's not always like this."

Dawn threw him a questioning gaze, but dropped the subject immediately. In her seventeen long years, she had learned how to read people. That was her gift. She had felt every emotion under the sun, so she knew what others were feeling just from a glance. Too bad she hated talking about feelings and all that; she'd have made a great therapist.

They arrived at the threshold of the time machine and the Doctor quickly unlocked the door. The shock of the dimensional impossibility of it still made Dawn laugh. She didn't think she'd ever get used to it. It was utterly preposterous.

The Doctor seemed to have gone quiet in the past ten minutes. In fact, Dawn could only recall him uttering three sentences since they had dropped the green man off at the edge of the city. Slowly, she treaded behind him as he made his way towards the console. The silence was deafening.

"So...what are we going to do now?"

The Doctor didn't turn to answer. He simply pressed a few buttons on the control deck and pulled a lever down. Dawn didn't make any attempt to force a reply. Instead, she turned away and looked up at the bookshelves sitting on the upper deck. She hadn't really been able to look at them earlier. Now was her chance.

Inside the Doctor's head, gears were spinning frantically. Do I let her stay? Can I do this to myself again? Haven't I asked myself this already? What was my answer? Was I crazy back then? I can't let another person into my life right now! I'm just lonely. I need to be by myself for a little while. But someone told me not to be alone. Who was it that said that? Was it Clara? Why can't I remember her? Why doesn't any of this make sense?

The Doctor took a deep breath and put his face in his hands anxiously. What the hell was wrong with him? She was just a human. Just some lady who got caught up in his messy life. She wasn't anything to fear. He wouldn't get attached. He wouldn't have his hearts broken. And even if he did, wasn't that what life was about? Getting knocked down and getting back up again? Then shouldn't he stand up and make a new friend?

Over and over these thoughts bounced around the Timelord's brain, confusing him; running him in circles. By the time he opened his eyes next, he was exhausted. A faint smile played at his lips. He turned to Dawn, who was on the steps, flipping through the pages of an old, dusty book written in High Gallifreyan. The Doctor paced towards her, clasping his hands together. He took a deep breath before softly saying, "Dawn."

The woman shut the book automatically and looked up at the Timelord. His piercing blue eyes were only a few meters in front of her, his hands nervously rubbing together. Dawn smiled to urge him on.

"I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to travel with me."

Dawn blinked a couple times before the statement really set in. "Oh...you mean...?"

The Doctor looked around his old ship. "It gets a bit lonely in here sometimes. And, well, I think we make a pretty good team."

Dawn opened her mouth to reply, but the Doctor cut in, stepping closer to the staircase. "It doesn't have to be all the time. Just when you need to get away. I know how frustrating the people down there could be sometimes."

Dawn smirked. "You mean the 'pudding brains'?"

"Exactly. Your planet's full of 'em."

The young woman picked the book up off her lap and set it beside her on the step. She slowly leaned forward and folded her hands together. "Doctor, I have no idea who you are, and I'm a million miles away from where I should be. But if you're telling me I can go anywhere in time and space and still be home enough to give my mum the money for rent, I can't think of any reason to say no."

The Doctor grinned widely at this, but the light in his eyes only lasted a moment. "It's not always going to be safe."

Dawn brushed away this thought. "Do you think walking home alone from work every night is safe? Or crossing the road?"

The Doctor cocked his head. "Fair point."

Their eyes drifted towards each other and met for a moment, taking each other in. A friend. A real, proper friend for both of them. Dawn let out a laugh, louder than she had in years. The Doctor merely smiled. When she composed herself, Dawn said, "We should set a day. Make it a weekly thing. Wednesday work for you?"

The Doctor's smile fades for a split second. The pain in his chest fluttered through him. That pain he couldn't explain. "Wednesday's no good. How about Tuesday?"

Dawn gritted her teeth. "I've always hated Tuesdays."

"You won't hate these Tuesdays. Promise."

"If you insist. Tuesday it is."

Dawn stood and came down the steps to stand beside the Doctor. "I better get home, then. Mum's be worried sick."

The Doctor glanced at the scanner and creased his eyebrows. "It seems you're already home."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Doctor, I had a lot of fun, and I love your spaceship, but I don't know if this is quite my home yet."

The Doctor shook his head, pointing at the screen. "No, I mean the TARDIS landed right back where we left. It's been two minutes since we first arrived in here."

Dawn's eyes widened as she gazed up at the Time Rotor. "That is amazing. That is bloody amazing."

"That's the TARDIS."

Dawn smirked at the smug Timelord. "That was pretty cool, I gotta hand it to ya."

She spun around to the door and pulled it open, looking out into the street beyond with slight dread. Slowly, she turned back to the Doctor, sincerity written on her face. "Thank you. For everything."

The Doctor straightened up. His eyes drifted to a spot above Dawn. "Thank you, too."

The woman smiled once more and went out the door, throwing a, "I'll be expecting you on Tuesday!" over her shoulder as she exited.

"I'll be there!"

The Doctor stared at the door for a minute after it had slammed shut. Dawn. What had he gotten himself into? What had he been thinking? Forget about not being attached; this girl was already like a daughter to him. Silently he prayed to whoever was listening that nothing would happen to her. Not on his watch.

Oh, God, he should've let her go when he had the chance.


	6. The Lunar Skies (1)

The Lunar Skies (1)

Dawn had no idea what events had passed in the coffee shop, due to the fact that her eyes were glued to the clock for the entirety of the day. She normally spent her work time people-watching, a favorite pastime of hers, but today even that wasn't as interesting as the two plastic hands circling the clock face. Her coworkers weren't happy with her dazed look, but when were they ever? She didn't care what they thought about her, anyway. This was just a place to make money, not a lifestyle.

A mysterious smile had replaced the usual frown she carried, which was a welcome surprise to her mother, but an odd distraction to nearly everyone else. Loner, bitter Dawn was smiling. She was happy. Her eyes seemed to glow brighter; her hair pulled away from her face just a centimeter more than usual. Her classmates had to double take when they passed her in the hallway. But, though they were all curious, nobody asked the girl what had changed. Most were too afraid of her. The other half were worrying about their own problems.

When the clock finally struck eight O'Clock, Dawn was the first to throw off her apron and switch it for her jacket. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail within a few seconds of Jeremy announcing that he would close up. She made sure to thank him sincerely before her feet passed the threshold of the shop.

Dawn breathed in the outside air with one large, deep breath, and let it out with a growing smile. The Doctor would be there. He'd be waiting. He'd promised.

Of course the thought of 'it was all a dream' had passed through her head all day, but she was an expert at ignoring those negative thoughts. The Doctor had brought hope back into her life, and she was going to hold onto it for as long as she could. Hold on and never let go.

A bounce in her step lifted her through the alley and around the corner. The glowing box was there. If really was. In all its splendid glory, the TARDIS stood, blue and shining with light. Amongst the bins and wet newspapers stood Dawn's safe haven. A tiny blue box that was bigger on the inside. A time machine. A real bloody time machine. Dawn's heart was fluttering like mad.

Her trainers clashed against the pavement as she made a dash for it. This stupid, wasteful life was over. It was time to see some planets; new worlds. Be everything she always wanted to be.

Dawn rapped on the door loudly. The toothy grin on her face would have made her almost unrecognizable to her classmates. Funny how people can change with just a change of light. Just flip the switch and suddenly you can be among leaders and heroes. Too bad Dawn's neighborhood wasn't good with electrics.

The Doctor's owlish face appeared in the doorframe above Dawn, hair just slightly unruly, jacket dusty in places. His eyes lit up when he saw the girl standing in front of him. Dawn's smile grew even wider, if that were possible.

"You came."

"Of course I came. Did you doubt me?"

Dawn's eyes flitted towards the dirty ground. "Well, you know how people can be."

"I'm not people, am I?"

Doe eyes met owl's. "I guess not."

The Doctor stepped out of the way and ushered the young woman inside. "Come on in, we've got loads of stuff to do."

Dawn's eyes widened as she took in the space, though it was now her third time entering it. Her head shook as she let out a chuckle. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to this place."

The Doctor whizzed past her to get to the Console. "Nah, getting used to things isn't our style here. We like to change things up, don't we old girl?"

His companion raised a wary eyebrow. "Are you talking to the ship?"

"Oh, the TARDIS isn't a ship; not really. More of...an old friend."

Dawn discarded any future questions and hurried to the Doctor's side, looking over the controls eagerly. "So where are we going?"

The Doctor bounced around the deck, pressing buttons and pulling tabs. He was like a kid in an arcade on a sugar high. "See? Now you're asking the good questions."

He flipped one more switch before leaning down to the teenager, hands folded on the console, feet tapping in anticipation. "There's this planet where they celebrate the lunar eclipse for three days straight. The moon is usually so big, it looks like it takes up the whole sky when it comes back into view. Then they build these enormous rockets and try to fly them to the moon. It never works, of course, but it looks amazing."

"Can we go?"

"We're already there."

Dawn gazed at the door with wonder, then turned back to the Doctor. "This is probably going to be the best day of my life."

The Doctor raised himself from the control deck and looked at the door. "Don't say that yet. There's bound to be trouble."

Dawn began pacing towards the doors, throwing a quick glance over her shoulder. "That's what I'm here for."

The Doctor stayed at the Console a moment longer, watching the young woman pry open the doors. She was staring right back at him, raising her brows. "You coming?"

He nodded and started towards her. "Be careful; and stay close to me. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Dawn turned back to the door as her new friend came next to her. "Don't be such a worrier. Let's just have some fun."

The Doctor looked back at the Time Rotor one last time, praying that the TARDIS had taken them to a safe time and place. No crazy schemes needed. Just a simple trip. A nice, peaceful vacation.

But the Doctor knew the calm wouldn't last long. As Dawn pried open the door, he could sense the danger that lay beyond it, and it made him afraid. He was responsible for anything that happened to this girl. She was just seventeen. Not even allowed to vote. Maybe he should have asked her mother if this was okay.


	7. The Lunar Skies (2)

The Lunar Skies (2)

Multicolored lanterns and throngs of blue alien beings dancing and chatting away met Dawn as she stepped onto the surface of the new planet. Instantly she plugged her ears with her fingers, turning sheepishly to the Doctor behind her. "It's a bit loud here."

The Doctor leaned down to hear her better, and nodded agreeably with her statement. He had to shout over the crescendoing noise surrounding them. "This is the Lunar Festival of Pentas: day three."

Dawn gazed out over the party. The people here were even stranger looking than the green man she had seen wandering London. First of all, their blue skin seemed to shimmer. Perhaps they were covered in glitter from the party, but Dawn felt it was something more natural than that. ' _More unnatural, if I'm honest.'_

mentally chastised herself for thinking in this close-minded manner. She was a travellers now. Her experiences didn't even begin to equate with those she'd meet out there. It was time to throw away past opinions. Even of shimmering skin.

The teenager's eyes fell on the Doctor, whose neck was craned up to the sky. Dawn followed his gaze and took in the vast size of the moon hanging above the party lanterns. It was absolutely enormous.

The eclispe was nearing completion. Only a sliver of the orange moon remained in darkness. An unconscious smile etched across Dawn's face. She couldn't remember what her own moon looked like. Was it even half the size of this one?

The Doctor turns to his companion, whose big eyes were even wider now. A soft smile crooked his lips. "A night on Pentas lasts up to four days. That's why they celebrate the moon so much. The sun is an ant compared to this Goliath."

As he spoke, the eclipse stretched across the edges of the giant sphere before them, covering the empty darkness with vivid orange color. A hush fell over the crowd as everyone slowly noticed the total eclipse. Then, the citizens of Pentas took each other's hands and ceremoniously sat on the grass below them. Every face was turned upwards in reverence.

Dawn lowered herself to the ground, just as everyone else had. The Doctor glanced over to his companion with a puzzled eyebrow. Her only response was patting the damp grass beside her; a smirk dancing on her lips. The Timelord had no choice but to crouch down beside her.

They looked out at the sight before them in awe. The crowd had gone so silent, only the occasional shuffle or stirring in the grass entered their ears. The lanterns danced in the night, their bright colors contrasting with the darkness of space behind them. The moon glowed in the sky above them.

An odd, implacable feeling brushed through the air around Dawn. Something was different here. Something beside the aliens and gigantic moon.

Nobody had their phones out. No one was taking pictures of the event, or live blogging it, or snaochatting it. They were all just sitting there, in total stupefication. The realization hit her like a 21st century train.

It was such a small thing, but it changed her entire outlook on the whole night. The whole traveling thing. The bigger in the inside box and blue people were strange, yes, and fantastic. But this sent her over the edge. Home was far away. Home and friends and mum and mum's boyfriend and Twitter and all those stupid pudding brains. They were so far away and she was here; on an alien planet, looking at an alien moon.

The Doctor's owlish eyes appeared directly in front of her. "You okay?"

Dawn instantly snapped back into reality, feeling the familiar frog choking her throat, wetness stinging her eyes. She focused her gaze slowly into the Doctor. Though his face was nearly stoic, she could tell there was care in his eyes.

Somehow, all of the conflicted thoughts and homesickness abandoned her, leaving a sweet tranquility in its wake. The smile returned to Dawn's face and her eyes became dry as the desert. Oh the magic one look can bring.

"Fine."

And for the first time in a long time, Dawn truly meant it.

But trouble was on the horizon. Well, to be exact, it was in the giant sphere above the horizon. Because while Dawn was busy thinking about the people in front of her and the Doctor was busy taking care of his companion, neither of them could notice how long the eclipse was lasting. Or how disastrous the effects of it would be.


	8. The Lunar Skies (3)

The Lunar Skies (3)

The news of the overstayed total eclipse came from an unlikely source. A young boy, sitting hand in hand with his mother and father, creased his brows in perplexion at the orange sphere above. "Is it supposed to last this long?"

His parents exchanged worried glances. Nobody spoke during the Lunar Ceremony. Nobody who wanted any respect in the town. Softly, the boy's mother shooshed him, but the little tyke wouldn't be silenced. "It doesn't usually last this long."

By this time, a few murmurs had passed through the crowd of onlookers. Nervous whispers were shared; gossip spread.

'Whose kid is that?'

'What's going on?'

'Oh, it's old Stuart's kid. He never did take rules seriously.'

Among the chatter came a few hasty 'Be quiet's and 'Shoosh's, but they soon became rare. At the front of the sitting group, one of the party hosts stood. Even from the back you'd be able to see the tremble in his legs.

"Umm...We must remain calm and respectful to the Lunar Festival. Please stay silent as we work out what..."

A tremble shook the ground. The poor host was nearly decked by the vicious rumble. The quiet mutters of the audience quickly turned into panicked shouts and frightened gasps. The shaking didn't last long, but it toppled a few of the lanterns, adding even more crying babies and screams to the already chaotic party. More people joined the host in standing. The moon was practically forgotten. Only the young boy, Stuart's son, kept his eyes fixed upwards. The orange circle was still holding strong.

Behind the crowd of blue, the Doctor rose to his feet as soon as the earthquake ceased. Dawn joined him automatically, feeling a rush of excitement she tried to ignore. She shouldn't be excited about this crazy turn of events. Should she?

Without sparing a moment for thought, Dawn followed the Doctor around the outskirts of the party, quickly making their way to the front of the congregation. The party host was still panicked, though the crowd had seemed to calm slightly. The Doctor made right for him, Dawn treading carefully behind, stepping around extended blue fingers in the grass.

At the last second, the Timelord turned sharply, heading instead for the tiny blue boy ottomh cross-legged with his parents. His father was looking him in the eye, his voice stern and full of authority. The boy seemed more frustrated than upset, but there were tears in his eyes. The Doctor stood over this father-and-son pair with his full height. Dawn stepped halfway behind him, halfway beside him.

"I need to speak with your son."

The man's glare shot up to the alien standing over him. "If you don't mind, I'm trying to..."

"We don't have time for this. You're upsetting our expert. We need to talk to him before he's reduced to tears and shame."

Hastily, the Doctor scooped the boy up from under his arms and lifted him off of his father's lap. Dawn noticed a faint smile appear on the young man's face as he was carried away from his angry dad.

As for the father, he was quickly silenced by his wife, who had been holding her tongue for the entirety of his lecturing. She despised conflict.

The Doctor, boy held firmly in his arms, leaned against his shoulder, led Dawn back through the crowd to a quieter place near the front. He set the boy down carefully and kneeled beside him.

"How long is the Lunar Eclipse supposed to last?"

"My book said the moon will only be completely orange for five minutes."

The Doctor nodded. "Right; faster waxing than waning eclispe." He turned to Dawn, who seemed puzzled. "The sun and moon aren't aligned exactly how they are during an eclipse on Earth."

Dawn shook her head in acknowledgement, though she still hadn't completely processed everything. The boy tugged on the Doctor's sleeve, calling his attention back to himself. "But sir, there's something else. I've read about the moon and it's important for our waves and gravity."

The Doctor's eyes widened, and he suddenly hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Stupid; stupid Doctor."

Dawn and the young boy looked curiously at the strange man, who was gazing at a spot in the distance absentmindedly. Dawn took a step towards him, prodding him on. "What is it?"

Sharply, he turned to the teenager. "The moon is being harnessed by someone; frozen so it can't move. That's why the eclipse is lasting so long."

"How can someone harness the moon? And why?"

The Doctor's face had gone serious, stare directed at the moon. "Let's find out, shall we?"

Dawn looked up at the orange glowing moon. In front of the sphere sat a small outline of an object hovering in the sky. The little boy beside the Doctor squinted up, too. "Is that a spaceship?"

The Doctor nodded grimly. Dawn watched him for second before looking back to the spaceship floating between the planet Pentas and the moon. Whoever was up there wasn't friendly. And apparently the Doctor was planning on meeting them. The young woman took a deep breath. This adventurous life she had signed up was proving to be a bit more frightening than she had thought.


	9. The Lunar Skies (4)

The Lunar Skies (4)

The Docyor dashed off before Dawn looked away from the mysterious aircraft hovering above. A tug at her hand and the voice of the small boy called her back to Earth - or, to be exact - Pentas. "Miss; should we follow him?"

"What?"

The girl's head shot towards the air beside her, where the Doctor had stood only seconds before. In the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow, and, in turning around, found the Doctor running towards the TARDIS at full speed. With a sigh, Dawn nodded. "You stay here. I'll go with him."

The boy watched her step away sadly. His short legs could hardly catch up with her as he shouted out her name. "Can I come?"

Dawn glanced anxiously to the Doctor, who was unlocking the ship's blue doors. Against her instincts, she knelt down to the boy's level. "The truth is, we need someone here to keep everyone calm. Do you think you can so that?"

The boy nodded, and Dawn smiled. "We'll see you later, okay?"

The young woman jumped o her feet and sprinted for the box, which already had its engine running. The Doctor clicked one finals swish as the human closed the door and off they went, disappearing into thin air.

Dawn held the railing closest to the entrance. The TARDIS was shaking, vibrating. Unknowingly, a smile came to the woman's face. She had always claimed to hate roller coasters. The truth was that she had never been on one.

The Doctor watched the girl's expression with a small grin of his own. He had missed this so much. Traveling; holding onto the console for dear life; feeling the thrill of a new conflict, a new adversary; the company of a new friend to adventure with. 24 years of relative peace and quiet (nothing was completely calm with River around) had made him even more antsy than ever to see something new; learn about a different culture and people. Now he was back and he couldn't keep the smile off of his face.

The ship landed with a soft thud, slightly off balancing her occupants. They looked at each other with a mix of apprehension and excitement, then turned to the door simultaneously. The Doctor came to stand beside his companion, trying to get ready for a face off with an unknown enemy.

"Ready?"

Dawn nodded, staring wide-eyes at the glass panes in front of her. "These people, ugh, they're not werewolves or anything, right? Maybe just greedy old guys in suits looking for a profit?"

"Probably."

Dawn bit her lip, looking up at the Timelord. "Probably?"

The Docor shifted his gaze to meet Dawn's. "I can't make any promises."

The Gurl shook her head, turning back to the door. "Nevermind, let's just go. Can't be too bad, right?"

The Doctor pulled open the left door as Dawn pulled open the right. Immediately, they were met with the image of three seven-foot tall, scaly creatures. They were standing on what seemed to be the deck of a spaceship, speaking in rushed, hissed voices. Their armor covered nearly every inch of their body. It seemed almost a part of their body.

As the Doctor and Dawn opened the doors, the three creatures turned towards them, stiffening at the sight of the blue box. The one in the middle instantly raised himself to his tallest height possible. "Arrest them."

The two others grabbed the time travellers before they could do anything but shut the TARFIS doors, pinning their arms behind their backs tightly. The Doctor tried struggling, but he was by no means strong enough to push off the muscular being holding him. Dawn didn't even try to fight it. The only arm strength she had was from carrying sacks of coffee beans once a week.

The leader of the group took a step towards them, fists clenched at his side. "This is the Doctor. The war hero of the Great Time War."

Dawn raised her eyebrow a her companion. "What's he talking about?"

The Timelord's face had gone stiff, brows creased in anger and eyes out with something Dawn couldn't place. When he spoke, his voice was stronger than Dawn remembered it. "Survivor, maybe, not a hero; definitely not a war hero."

Dawn nudged his shoulder, letting out a hiss as her arm stretched too far. Ignorin it, she quickly whispered, "How do they know you? Who are they?"

The Doctor stayed his glare at the large man in front of him as he replied. "The ice warriors and I go back centuries. They live on Mars and live for combat."

"Like the Greek god?"

"Exactly. Sometimes I wonder if a translation went wrong somewhere. That's how most wars start."

The Ice Warrior leader hissed. The sound echoed throughout the ship's entire bridge. "Take these two to the holding cells. Nothing will stop our mission. We will deal with them later."

The warrior behind the Doctor shoved him forward a step, keeping a tight grip on his arms. The Timelord's boots shuffled against the floor the whole way.

"Wait, wait; I can help! What are you trying to do?"

Dawn, too, tried to wrestle her way out of the Martain's grasp, but her efforts were wasted. Even with her greatest power, the armored hands holding her wouldn't budge. Through a door the hostages went, their captors keeping them from even looking at each other as they struggled through the metal corridors of the inner ship. As they walked, something prodded the Doctor's side. As he glanced down to his suit, an idea suddenly opposed into his head. With newfound hope, he called behind, to Dawn, "Can you catch something with your feet?"

"Is this a riddle?"

The Doctor gritted his teeth at the fingers that dug deeper into his arms. "Can you?"

Panic was rushing through Dawn, but she was better than most under pressure. A lifetime of anxiety had helped with that. "I'm an expert at Dance Dance Revolution. I think I can handle some eye-foot coordination."

The warm breath of the creature behind her made her hair stand on end, limbs shaking furiously. Maybe she wouldn't be able to control her legs after all.

In one furious movement, the Doctor used all of his power to twist around, throwing the Sonic Screwdriver from his inside jacket pocket into the air near Dawn. The girl leaned on her held arms, lifting her feet in the air. The position instantly ached her muscles, but her eyes stayed locked on the device flying towards her. By some miracle, she was able to catch the screwdriver, pinning in between her shoes precariously. The Doctor was pulled roughly back to facing forward as he yelled, "Press the button!"

Dawn struggled with the mechanism for a moment's before it finally whirred to life. The arms holding went slack almost instantly, sending the girl tumbling to the floor. The Sonic landed a few feet away from her legs.

Dawn glanced behind her cautiously, finding the Ice Warrior standing with his head bowed to his chest. It was trapped in its broken armor, stuck looking like a deactivated robot. The sound of the Doctor still fighting against his bonds spurred Dawn back into action, grabbing for the screwdriver as fast as possible.

The Ice Warrior had walked the Doctor directly into a puddle, formed from a leaky pipe in the wall. Unfortunately, ths Timelord didn't realize this until it was too late. Dawn aimed the Sonic device directly at the Martian and pressed down the button forcefully.

A shock passed through the Ice Warrior's armor, through the water, and then, to Dawn's horror, through the Doctor. Both fugures dropped to the unforgiving floor below, complete deadweight. The sound reverberated through the hall, but Dawn couldn't hear it. The ringing in her ears was nearly deafening.

After a moment, the shock of the situation ebbed away, and the young woman forced herself forward, though her heart was pounding and her mind was racing with terrible assumptions. Slowly her feet dragged her to the Doctor's side, carefully keeping clear of the puddle.

"Oh, God, I'm such an idiot!"

Thankfully, Dawn's companion had fallen onto the dry floor beside the water. The Ice Warrior had not been so lucky. Dawn felt the awful smell of burning fill her nostrils. She couldn't help but thank God it was the Martian and not the Timelord. Her consciousness would be retelling her that later tonight when she tried to sleep.

With a shake of the head, she focused back to the supine friend before her. He was lying on his side, facing away from her. She couldn't clearly tell if he were breathing or not. "Doctor? Can you hear me?"

She knelt beside him, turning him onto his back, and apprehensively reached out to his neck. Though her fingers were shaking, she was sure she felt a pulse. In fact, there seemed to be an odd, two-timed pulse. She cast away this thought immediately; she was no medical expert. She must just not be doing it right.

With a sigh of relief, the girl eased down, rubbing a hand over the Doctor's shoulder. "Doctor? C'mon, please wake up."

Dawn bit her lip and looked over the man in front of her. He seemed okay enough; his chest rose and fell pretty evenly and there was no sign of any burns. Tears threatened to fall out of her eyes. Though she wasn't much of a crier, she did have a heart, and the tears currently forming in Dawn's eyes were filled with guilt and fear. What if she had killed him? He had taken her out of her dreary life and shown her new worlds. How had she repaid him?

She shook his shoulder again, this time more forcefully. "Doctor?"

His response came in the form of a groan, his body shifting slightly, testing mobility. Softly, he muttered, voice injected with judgement, "Expert at Dance Dance Revolution?"

Dawn let out a nervous laugh and jokingly replied, "Don't get all snide with me."

The Doctor chuckled slightly, then started a coughing fit that lasted at least ten seconds. Dawn rubbed circles on his back as he sat up. "I'm sorry, this is my fault. Wasn't using my head."

The Doctor's eyes opened and met with Dawn's. Silently, they shared a knowing look, and the Doctor said, "Believe me, I've been through far worse."

Somehow, the words only softened Dawn's guilt very slightly. Slowly, the human assisted the Timelord in standing and stepping away from the puddle, where the fallen Ice Warrior lay. The Doctor was nearly completely recovered already, and had the intense look of earlier back in his eyes. "That one died in the shock, but the other one'll be back any time now. How long was I out for?"

"I don't know; a couple minutes?"

The Doctor turned and started down the corridor, turning left at the corner. "We'll go around this way to get back to the deck. He'll be up and searching for us in a matter of seconds. As Dawn rounded the corner after her friend, she swore she heard footsteps treading behind her.


	10. The Lunar Skies (5)

The Lunar Skies (5)

The clicking of Dawn and the Doctor's heels against the metal floor below reverberated through the corridor, making the young human glance back anxiously every few seconds. If an Ice Warrior were anywhere near them, they'd definitely be able to hear them.

The Doctor seemed less bothered. His pace was fast, eyes locked on the doors ahead, at least five steps ahead of Dawn. Nothing showed the trauma his body had gone through just five minutes earlier. It was as if he had completely healed. Dawn shook her head. So many impossible things surrounded her new friend.

Without any sense of apprehension, the Timelord put his hand over a button and the door to the cockpit slid open, revealing the leader Ice Warrior in his seat, looking out at the sky beyond. Just below sat the planet Pentas. Just in front sat the moon. It was in the same spot it had been at least twenty minutes before.

Without turning around, the Ice Warrior's gravelly voice called back, "Have the prisoners been dealt with?"

Dawn cast a sideways glance at the Doctor, feeling a lump form in her throat. She didn't know how fast her heart was beating, but it was definitely faster than it should. The brown-eyed woman wondered if the Doctor was feeling the same level of fear. She guessed so, as he bit his lip anxiously, weight shifting between feet. His hands were clenched tightly to keep them from shaking.

Clearing his throat, the Doctor forced his courage to grow. "Yes. They have been dealt with."

His impression of an Ice Warrior was dodgy, to say the least, but the creature in the seat didn't stir. Cautiously, the Doctor took a step forward, confidence growing. "May I ask what the plan is, commander?"

The leader sighed, shaking his head. In annoyance, he hissed back, "I have told you this many times, Lieutenant. We are to harness the moon and return it to our Martian sky. There, we can correct the low gravity that has always kept us from our greatest potential. Soon, we will be able to march like those on Earth. We shall be the strongest force in the galaxy."

The Doctor nodded along, bent over to hear the raspy voice clearer. As the reptile concluded his speech, he straightened himself once more, returning to his normal voice. "So, the whole universe is in danger then? Good. Now I won't feel guilty stopping you."

The Commander spun around in his seat, taking in the human and Timelord with a dropped jaw. "Guard!"

Dawn noted his hands, locked on the controls in front of him. A sly smile appeared on the girl's face. "They're in despised at the moment, I'm afraid. Please call later."

The monster gritted his teeth, letting out a growl that would've sent shivers to Dawn's spine if she wasn't having so much fun. The enemy was stuck; out of options. He had to stay with the controls to keep his prize. All of his friend's had been taken care of."

The Doctor strolled to the right panel of the console, hand hovering above a red button. "I'm assuming if I press this, the moon goes back to it's normal position?"

The Ice Warrior needn't respond. The Doctor had won. Still staring at the Commander with something like a smirk, the Doctor slammed his palm onto the button below. Instantly, the moon in front of them began shrinking into the distance, returning swiftly to it's normal place over Pentas. The Ice Warrior sat stiffly for a moment, staring out at his lost fortune. Now Dawn felt her hair raise. She and the Doctor stood on the two extremes of the room. The Ice Warrior and the TARDIS behind him sat in the middle. Both of them would have to pass their newly angered enemy to get to safety.

They shared a look before cautiously stepping away from the console, hearing the unmistakable sound of a door sliding open behind Dawn. The girl froze, eyes widening. The Doctor was the same.

Their eyes met. Brown and blue. Dawn could feel a muscled, armored arm raise behind her. Her eyes closed. Deep breath. The Doctor watched the scene unblinkingly. He was too far away to help.

As the arm came swinging to meet with her head, Dawn dropped to one knee on the floor. The fist passed directly over her hair, slamming into the wall instead. Without wasting a second, the teen rolled away from her position beneath the Ice Warrior, getting slightly closer to the center of the room. The Doctor was already fumbling in his jacket for his key. Dawn urged him on as she met him by the TARDIS. Both Ice Warriors approached slowly, threateningly.

Finally, the Doctor got the door open, pushing Dawn in first and clambering in after her, barely getting the door shut behind them as they crashed to the floor. After a few seconds, the Doctor caught his breath. "That was...impressive."

"I'm telling you, Dance Dance Revolution."

The teen jumped to her feet, holding out a hand for the Doctor. A creaking sound entered her ears, furrowing her brows. The Doctor's eyes widened, breath catching in his throat. "I didn't get to lock the door."

Slowly, the girl's hand lowered to her side. The Doctor's simple sentence brought more fear to Dawn than anything else today had. She felt the breath of the creature behind her, and the point of a gun press into her back. With its raspy voice, the leader commanded, "You will transport me whenever I ask, or the human will die."


	11. The Ice Warrior Dilemma (1)

The Ice Warrior Dilemma (1)

The Doctor, still sitting on the floor, leaned on his elbow, couldn't speak.

Give the Commander the TARDIS and he'd be able to go anywhere; destroy anything. He could get backups; fit as many as he wishes into the infinitely sized box. I've Warriors loved war. They'd never stop. It would be like the Time War all over again, perhaps even longer. The Doctor shuddered at the mere thought of it.

No way he could give up the time machine. It was out of the question. But, then again...Dawn. He had taken her out of her life; her simple, beautiful, messy human life. She was only seventeen. No way he could live with that guilt. No way he could even think about handing her over. That would be worse than giving up the TARDIS. At least, almost.

Oh, why hadn't she just declined his offer? Why did she have to follow his dangerous path? He had told her it would be like this, hadn't he? Why was she even here? If she weren't, well, things would be a bit easier. Of course, he knew he wouldn't be able to fight off an Ice Warrior on his own anyway, that wasn't his plan. He'd be snapped like a toothpick. But if Dawn weren't here; if she weren't in his care, he could have done something more...drastic. If need be, he could've blown up the TARDIS.

But as it was, Dawn was very much here and very much in danger. When the Doctor snapped out of his thoughts, he was pleasantly surprised to find it had only been a couple seconds. The good feeling dissipated almost immediately, however, as the Ice Warrior prodded Dawn in the back once more, forcing a shocked gasp from the young girl.

Blue eyes met brown again. The Doctor felt his hearts ache; this time he knew why. Dawn was trying to be strong for him.(He didn't think he deserved it.) She wasn't even crying, though her life lay in the balance. The crooked ghost of a smile turned her lips.

"Doctor...does he know, ugh, what this ship is?"

The creature boss's behind her, silencing her shaky voice instantly. The Doctor kept the enormous alien in his peripheral vision as he watched Dawn. "Yes. Me and the Ice Warriors go way back."

The Ice Warrior hissed once more, then said in his gravely voice, full of annoyance, "What is your answer?"

"You don't give much time, do you?"

The Commander cocked his gun behind Dawn. The girl tensed automatically, closing her eyes. The Doctor licked his lips, eyes flitting between them , he turned his gaze to the floor and answered, in a small voice, "Where do you want to go?"

Dawn sighed as the gun was lowered. The Ice Warrior pushed past her roughly, making his way towards the Time Rotor in the center of the room. As he passed the Doctor, he hissed into his ear, "Sentiment was always your greatest weakness." Dawn watched the Doctor with something like pity...or maybe it was even slight anger.

The Doctor creased his eyebrows in reply. The teen stepped towards him, and he could definitely see the 'anger' part grow. In hushed tones, her shaky voice called up to him. "Why would you do that?"

"I'm sorry, was I supposed to let him kill you?"

"You could've thought of something. Now he can take us anywhere. All of time and space in the hands of a big, angry reptile man bent on war."

Dawn spun around to face the door, taking deep breaths. This was all her fault, or at least, she thought it was. She shouldv'e locked the door. She knew the Doctor hadn't. Or had she? Anyway, it was still her fault. The Doctror would've been able to think clearer and come up with something if she weren't in danger. Oh why had she even joined him? Was this really worse than a five hour shift at the coffee shop?

The Doctor turned to the Ice Warrior slowly. There was nothing to be done, now. He had to go through with this until he thought of something better. A fraction of him was even slightly excited. Where did the Commander want to go? What was his plan?

After mentally chastising his misguided thrill, the Timelord approached the Console. His hands were shaking uncontrollably. Now not only Dawn was in trouble, but the whole universe. Usually he had a plan by now, or at least an idea. Right now he was useless; just the pilot of the most important ship in space and time.

The Martian was pacing in front of the controls, gazing at them with reverence. His voice called out a set of coordinates as he looked back at the Doctor. To Dawn, it was just a series of numbers; meaningless and incomprehensible. But as she turned back to face the two men, the Doctor's expression made her heart skip a beat.

His eyes were wide, laced with fear greater than she had ever seen him express. He had shifted back a few steps, utterly shocked. He seemed to be frozen still. Finally, he found his voice, but it was even shakier than before. It was almost like he'd been crying.

"You want me to take you to Skaro?"


	12. The Ice Warrior Dilemma (2)

The Ice Warrior Dilemma (2)

The room was silent for a moment. Unpleasant silence. The kind felt right after a car crash or a teacher's reprimanding. The Doctor's breaths came shakily; uneven. Dawn had no idea what Skaro as like, but the terrified glint in the Doctor's eyes told her enough. This day was about to get even tougher.

The Ice Warrior paced towards the Timelord slowly, showing his full height the whole time. He held a low, menacing edge in his voice. "Start the machine, Doctor, or the girl will pay."

Dawn rushed forward. "Doctor, don't worry about me."

The Doctor's face fell blank. All previous emotions seemed to have disappeared in an instant. With a raised eyebrow, he turned to Dawn. "Why would I be worried about you?"

The Ice Warrior stepped in between them. Dawn didn't like how close he was getting to her. The lizard's raspy voice stated, "You have already shown your feelings on the subject, Doctor. You can't pretend now."

The Doctor replied curtly, "Feelings change. Do what you want with her. I still won't take you to Skaro."

Dawn knew he was lying. Of course he was. But that didn't shut up the small voice in the back of her head that was honestly very, very afraid. What if the Ice Warrior wasn't bluffing? What if the Doctor wasn't joking? So many things could go wrong. So many things had to be perfect so Dawn could get out of this without harm. The universe was rarely that kind.

The Ice Warrior raised his gun once more. Dawn felt the air escape her. Her limbs were shaking and her teeth were chattering. All she could thin was that this isn't the kind of adventure she'd signed up for.

"You will take me to Skaro or I will kill the human female."

The Doctor sucked in a breath through partially gritted teeth. "I really don't think you will."

His voice held the same calmness and causality that would be heard in a friend challenging another's thoughts on pizza toppings or a movie. The Doctor put his hands in his pockets and stepped towards Dawn and the Ice Warrior. The gun came ever closer to Dawn's chest.

"Have you ever played chess? You should know not to risk the queen on your first move. You've got nowhere to go from there but down. If you kill her, I won't have a reason to take you to Skaro. Don't kill her, and I won't believe another threat you make."

Somehow, with a gun pressed against her ribs, Dawn smiled. The Doctor had done it. He really had. The Ice Warrior had nothing left. She could sense the reptile's embarrassment. The gun was starting to lower.

The Ice Warrior's head bowed. He was furious. Definitely. His raspy voice was so quiet that it barely reached their ears. "If I can't have Skaro, I will just have to make do with you."

The gun in his hand raised again, this time towards the Doctor, but the Timelord saw it coming. His Sonic was brandished before the gun even fired, sending sparks around the barrel of the weapon, blinding the Martian temporarily. Dawn took this chance to grab the gun from the reptile man's hands and step back, towards the Doctor.

The Ice Warrior's vision returned, and his gaze fell on the two figures in front of him heavily. The Doctor watched him carefully, but the commander was finished. Caught in his own trap.

"Go back to your ship."

The Ice Warrior laughed at him. At least, that's what it sounded like to Dawn.

"You are foolish. We will return, and we will be stronger. You are too weak to kill; even when it would only benefit you."

The Doctor's glare was stony. "Mercy isn't a weakness. I'm sorry you think it is."

The reptile shook his head and turned away. The door slammed loudly as he exited. Dawn set her gun on the floor slowly, wiping her hands on her jeans to cleanse them of the weapon's awful feeling. When she turned back to the Doctor, he was at the Console, erasing the coordinates that had made him so afraid from the computer. Dawn stood beside him, leaning on the control panel, carefully avoiding any buttons and levers. The Doctor didn't even glance at her.

"You were joking that whole time, right? You weren't going to let him kill me, were you?"

"Do we have to do this now?"

"Yes."

Finally, the Doctor turned towards her. His expression was still extremely serious. "Of course I was joking. If anything happened to you..."

Dawn watched him with a strange mix of curiosity and sadness as his eyes flitted away from her. "What, Doctor?"

"I wouldn't forgive myself."

Dawn looked away too, now, biting her lip. The Doctor cleared his throat and went back to the controls, emotion dissipating once again. "Anyway. We should get you home. What time was it when we left?"

Dawn shook out of her reverie and stammered, "Ugh, i-it was just after eight. P.M., not A.M.. That's 20:00."

"I know."

The Doctor held an odd stare on Dawn as she stared at a spot in the Time Rotor. "Are you okay?"

The young woman turned to him quickly. "Yeah. I'm fine. It's just...weird. Going back. So ordinary."

"I'll be back next week. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

The Doctor scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I just thought...you had a pretty rough day today. You might not want to keep going."

Dawn shook her head. The smile was back again. "I wouldn't give this up for the world."

The Doctor's brow was furrowed. "You...enjoyed it? All the running? The Ice Warriors? The fear?"

"I mean, not particularly. But the adventure of it all...the planet. The blue peopl even. The little boy who was smartest of them them all."

The Doctor was smiling too, now. "You remind me so much of her."

"Who?"

A confused look returned to the Doctor. A distant glaze in his eyes. "I...I can't really remember her. But I know she was just like you. They all were. All of my friends. Companions. The human race...you're my favorite species for a reason."

They shared one last smile before Dawn forced herself out the door. When she was gone, the room felt empty again. Emptier than the Doctor thought it ever was. As soon as she was out of sight, the Timelord hurried back to the Console and plugged in coordinates for the next Tuesday, at the same time. God, what had he gotten himself into?


	13. Trouble on the Homefront (1)

Trouble on the Homefront (1)

The TARDIS landed heavily, nearly throwing the Doctor off of his feet as the ship lurched; a white-knuckle grip on the console barely kept him upright. As the commotion subsided, he glanced at the screen, confirming the correct date and time. Something about those coordinates made him nervous. Something wasn't right. But they were definitely correct.

After an affirmative nod and one final reading of the screen, he adjusted his jacket and turned towards the door. Muffled sounds crept through the walls to where he was standing. It wasn't noisy enough to spur him into action, but it was enough to take all of his attention. What on earth could be happening in a London alley this late at night? He shuddered at the thought. It was nothing. Definitely. Unless...

The sounds slowly crescendoed, soon becoming muffled shouts and cries for help. The Doctor was pulling open both doors before another tick of the clock had passed.

What met him when he ran out of the box both excited and frightened him. Just past the alleyway, the road was filled with chaos. People were running. Large metal men followed slowly behind, uttering in their heartless, monotone voices, "Delete. Delete."

As soon as he started running for the street, however, quiet footsteps echoed from behind him. "I don't think we'll need to travel today. All the aliens are right here."

Dawn's voice sounded calm, but the Doctor knew it was int a facade. When he turned to face her, the one street lamp shone down like a spotlight on her shaking form. Her features seemed more upset than he had ever seen her.

Continue the playful banter or get to the bottom of the problem? Recalling his day with Robin Hood and holding some pent up resentment, he opted for the latter. "What happened?"

They both stepped towards each other, taking each other in. Dawn was obviously exhausted, barely standing. The Doctor hadn't changed at all since the human had last seen him. Maybe his suit seemed a bit less wrinkled, but other than that, it looked like he hadn't been gone five minutes. A tiny, happy feeling found its way into Dawn's chest.

"It was all normal for a few days. Then on Saturday, a few ships landed. They only came to the major cities. Then more came. There must be thousands of them. Metal men. All they do is take people for...they call it an 'upgrade' or something-"

"Yes. I've met the Cybermen before."

"You have?"

The Doctor simply nodded, solemnly, in reply. Dawn stammered as she continued, voice soft. "T-they took a kid I work with. Jeremy. I've been hiding out for the past week; laying low. The coffee shop's got enough food for a month. I guess I'll be fired when this is all over."

She chuckled silently, eyes downcast. "Mum's fine, too, I think. She was visiting my uncle when it all happened. He lives in the middle of nowhere. What's wrong?"

The Doctor was biting his lip anxiously, gazing distractedly at a spot on the wall. At Dawn's question, he looked back up at her and shifted his weight awkwardly. "UNIT should've called me. They usually do when these kinds of things happen."

"What's UNIT? Is that one of those secret government organizations?"

"Yes. Something like that. I work for them. In my opinion they use too many guns, but they usually call me anyway. Not sure why. They elected me president of Earth or something, too. Still don't know why."

Dawn's mouth fell open. "Wait, president? Of...what?"

"Exactly. No idea."

Dawn shook her head. "Anyway...what are we supposed to do?"

The Doctor spun in his heel and strolled towards the Console. "I think it's time for me to report for duty."

Dawn couldn't suppress the excitement filling her chest. "You mean-? We're going to UNIT?"

"Of course. I have to introduce you to a Miss Kate Stewart. She always loves to meet my friends. Once again, no idea why."

The Doctor pulled down a nearby red lever and they were off. Dawn grabbed the railing at the last second to stop herself toppling over. The chaos outside was practically forgotten. This was just another adventure now. Another day with the Doctor. Tuesday's had never been better.


	14. Trouble on the Homefront (2)

Trouble on the Homefront (2)

The TARDIS made its usual 'thud' as it landed in the center of a UNIT control room. Dawn eased her fingers off of the railing and glanced at the Doctor, but he had already disappeared. The creak of the doors caught her ears' attention and she hurried after him as soon as her legs got the message.

Without any hesitation, the Doctor strolled up to Kate, long legs carrying him twice as fast as Dawn's were able. "Why did nobody call me?"

A blonde woman stood gazing over a computer operator's shoulder, taking in the strange images on the screen. "We did call; your phone was off."

The Doctor fumbled in his jacket, a smirk playing at his lips. "My phone is never off."

The device in his hand showed only a black screen. He pressed a few buttons desperately to awaken it, but it was to no avail. The screen remained blank. Kate finally looked up, smiling slightly to herself in Doctor pursed his lips and shoved the phone back into his pocket. "Might have forgotten to charge it. Anyway-" he shook his head to clear it, "we don't have time for this. What happened, Kate?"

"It's just like Dawn told you. The Cybermen came; big cities were taken first. They're still converting people every day, and killing even more. UNIT is protected by a perception filter, but that won't last much longer."

The Doctor took all of this information with low eyebrows. "How do you know what Dawn told me?"

Kate rolled her eyes, turning back to the nearby computer. "Priorities, Doctor."

"This is a priority. For all I know, you could be a cyber-leader; supplying them information. I don't remember UNIT ever using a perception filter before."

Kate slowly stood back up and eyed the Doctor mysteriously. "I saw security footage of a girl running into the TARDIS. It was in the alley just behind a coffee shop, not sure which one, but I don't think you do either. The perception filter is from the black archive. I only used it after the Cybermen spread across the globe; otherwise I never would have. Is that sufficient for you?"

The Doctor awkwardly shifted his weight but held his head firm. "Yes. Sorry; had to be sure."

Kate's guard dropped entirely. A small smile even spread across her face. "I would've done exactly the same. Now; what are we going to do about the Cybermen?"

The Doctor turned instantly to the computer, nearly shoving the poor operator out of her chair. "Mind if I use this?"

The woman creased her wrinkled loan coat and flipped her hair back over her shoulder. "Not at all, sir."

Dawn watched the young woman with what she hoped was a comforting smile. She was only five or six years older than the seventeen year old, and she seemed terrified; jumpy and fiddling with her bracelet absent-mindedly. Dawn made a note to herself to check on the woman later.

The Doctor's eyes flitted across the screen, taking in all of the statistics and graphs in front of him. With a whir of his Sonic Screwdriver, the viewing area widened, bringing up twice as much data as before. Kate raised an eyebrow. "New setting? Our sonic devices don't have half of that power."

The Doctor eased the sonic back into his inside pocket, muttering, "Let's keep it that way, eh?"

"Doctor, look!"

Dawn's finger brushed against the screen, where a large concentration of Cybermen was marked by a thick red dot. Kate's mouth fell open. "There must be hundreds of them, just in that one area."

The Doctor's face had fallen, too, eyes dark and without the usual playfulness Dawn always noticed in them. "More like thousands."

The computer operator took a step forward, standing beside Dawn. Her jaw dropped to the floor, head shaking in short bursts side to side. "Oh my God."

Dawn turned to the woman, feeling her own fear rising in her chest and stomach. "What is it? Doctor? Why's she so upset?"

The Doctor leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face in his hands. Slowly Kate moved her finger to the keyboard and pressed the zoom control. Dawn's eyes caught one word and her heart dropped.

UNIT. The giant red dot full of Cybermen was where the light blue outline of the building stood. Thousands of them, just outside. Or wherever they were. Dawn turned to the Doctor quickly. His hand still covered his mouth in silent panic.

"Doctor...if they're here...where are they?"

"They're on the roof."

"Why aren't they attacking?"

Before the Doctor could respond, a shudder went through the building, knocking some dust from the ceiling onto shocked scientists' computers. One man almost lost his footing as he stepped down a staircase. Dawn gritted her teeth. "Right. Never saying a sentence like that again."

The Doctor threw her a quick smirk before another small earthquake began. This time, Kate hurried to the main computer and pulled a microphone from the desktop. It erupted a painful noise that grabbed everyone's attention, except the Doctor's. He was still busy staring at the screen in front of him.

"Everybody get to the bunker. This building was built for heavy duty, but that may be tested today. We need to take inventory and come up with a plan of attack. Until that happens, we need everyone in the safest area of the base. Go as calmly as possible."

She lowered the microphone slowly, gazing around the room at her frightened workers. She watched one young man scoop up his tea mug and almost smiled. A life-threatening crisis arrives and he still has time to drink his tea. How very British.

The room shook once more, this time toppling a stack of papers off of her desk. Silently, she swore at the infernal Cybermen. It had taken her all morning to sort those documents. With a shake of the head, she headed back to the computer where the Doctor still sat. Dawn awkwardly hung by his shoulder, glancing back at the receding crowd every so often.

The Doctor pushed himself out of the seat, turning to the two women beside him. The computer operator had gone with the rest. "I need you to take Dawn to the bunker with you. You can work with the scientists and come up with a way to get all of the Cybermen out of the cities. The less people they're around, the better."

Kate nodded. "What are you going to do?"

"They're looking for me. Hey wouldn't have been able to see through the perception filter otherwise. They must've noticed the TARDIS arrive; they weren't attacking UNIT until I came here. I'll see what they want; why they'd send so many here."

Kate put her hand on Dawn's shoulder, but it dropped as the girl took a step towards the Doctor. "Let me help you."

The Doctor shook his head firmly. "No. Right now, I need to know you'll be safe. You're in my care. The safest place to be right now is with UNIT. The Cybermen don't know about the bunker, and if they do, they can't infiltrate it."

Dawn felt tears stinging her eyes. She couldn't remember crying this much before she met the Doctor. "I want to help."

"You are helping; you're helping millions of people."

Kate put her hand on Dawn's shoulder again. She didn't resist. "We have to hurry. They'll lock the doors after fifteen minutes."

The Doctor nodded, a lighter expression making him seem younger somehow. "Go. I'll see you when the world is safe again."

Kate practically dragged Dawn out of the room. The teen head was screaming at her to go back; stay with the Doctor. A funny feeling in her stomach told her not everything would end up exactly as they planned. Things very rarely did. But this feeling was strong. Something was wrong. Or maybe she was having a panic attack. That would happen to her during a cyber-apocalypse.

Kate ushered her through the halls, quickening her pace as time drew on. "Are you alright?"

Dawn blinked out of her daze, feeling the panic subside, if only slightly. "Yeah, yeah. I think so. Is that it?"

A pair of steel black doors stood in front of them. Kate used an eye scanner and told the scientist on the other side who she was. The door opened slowly, revealing a dense little room filled to the brim with people and computers. Dawn found a spot beside the computer operator and sat down, taking a deep breath. "What's your name?"

"Kylie."

"I'm Dawn."

They shook hands, and then heard the building above them shudder, louder than ever before. The barely closed doors blocked out most of the sound, but the low rumble made it seem like London was crashing down from above. Dawn's eyes were stinging with how fervently she stared at a spot on the ceiling, sending silent prayers to every god she could think of that the Doctor would be ok.

Back in the main control room, everything had gone haywire. Computers toppled over, sparks flew around like fireworks. The Doctor had slipped at the first quake, but he had righted himself and held onto a heavy, metal desk for the next one. As the ceiling began crumbling, the Timelord realized he was running out of time. This room, with its government supplied walls and ceiling, was not built for thousands of Cybermen raining down air attacks with alien tech. Even as his eyes darted around the shrinking space, the pipes seemed to be bursting in the walls; a few more computers and phones clambered to the floor for good measure.

"I might have been wrong about you wanting to see me."

When his eyes landed on the bright doorway his companion had gone through not ten minutes before (though it felt like hours), he instantly pushed to get to it. But something was holding him back. He glanced back and saw his foot caught in a small space between a desk and a toppled chair. Hastily he struggled for a moment, and finally freed himself, kicking the chair away as a last surge of retaliation.

He jumped to his feet and maneuvered around the fallen debris carefully, avoiding a ceiling tile as it crashed to the floor beside him. The door was only a few meters away now. He was going to make it.

A final, shuddering shake knocked the Doctor off of his feet. The whole world seemed to be vibrating furiously. Even gravity seemed to be acting strange. It was at this point that the Doctor realized he was falling. Falling fast. His fingers held onto the portion of floor he was leaned on as best as they could as the room fell apart, breaking into two. The side he was on was only sliding down the steep incline of the rest of the building, not falling weightlessly like the rest of the room, so he guessed he should be thankful.

Still, he was plummeting towards a distant, concrete ground, with only the rough edge of a should-be floor to hold onto. He forced his eyes upwards and a lightbulb lit up in his head. If he could pull himself up and jump off at the perfect moment, he could land on one of the lower levels. Without hesitation, he put all of his weight into his hands and heaved himself up onto the top of the edge of the floor, crouched low to keep his balance. The levels were whizzing by quickly, but he soon discovered their perfect rhythm and planned his next move. With one last surge of energy, he jumped, using strength he didn't know he still had in him, directly onto the floor three levels below where the control room had been.

He landed heavily on his knees and elbows, rolling once or twice to keep the damage down. When he finally came to a stop, he smiled. Lying on the tiled floor, he stared up at the cracking ceiling, trying to catch his breath. For a fraction of a second, he closed his eyes, and in that tiny millisecond, another quake rumbled the building. His eyes shot open just in time to see one of the ceiling tiles falling mercilessly toward him. He had no time to react before it had hit his head, rendering him completely unconscious.


	15. Trouble on the Homefront (3)

Trouble on the Homefront (3)

Dawn felt a hand on her shoulder and turned, still open-mouthed, to Kate. The older woman seemed to have acquired a comforting smile, but Dawn hardly took note. Her brain was furious, working in short waves of panic and guilt. At last, her vocal chords finally responded to her agitated neurons.

"I should be up there with him."

"He'll be fine. He always is."

Dawn bit her lip, turning her face away from Kate and Kylie, who was fidgeting anxiously beside her. Tears were forming in her eyes, but she blinked them away. No time for crying. The Doctor needed her. With newfound steel in her voice, she looked back at Kate. Her eyes were glistening, but it wasn't from the tears anymore. It was from determination. "We have to go see if he's alright."

Kate closed her eyes for a few seconds. "I care about the Doctor just as much as you do, but-"

"Please. I need to know he's okay."

Kate glanced at a UNIT soldier and nodded him and his comrade over to them. "This is Bryant and Fitz. They'll go look for the Doctor."

Dawn thanked Kate and looked down at her hands. She was shaking just as much as the building. She balled her hands into tight fists and turned her face back up. "Can I go with them?"

Kate emitted a deep sigh. "Dawn...it's extremely dangerous up there. Please just stay here."

"I can't do anything anyway! I'm not sciency; I'll be no help."

Fitz stepped forward a pace. "Ma'am; should we go now?"

Kate put her face in her hands for a second. "Dawn...fine. Go with them. The Doctor might need some help. But please don't get killed. You're only seventeen and you're our liability right now. Fitz; Bryant; keep her safe."

The soldiers nodded in affirmation and opened the heavy doors, escorting the teen through them quickly. As soon as the doors shut again, Kate began asking herself why she had let the girl go with the; now she would be worried about the Doctor and his companion. Even as she took control and guided the scientists to work, she felt fear and dread nagging at the back of her mind.

The room was incredibly dark. Dark and ringing. Dark and ringing and on top of him.

The Doctor forced his eyes open a crack, immediately regretting it as crude daylight scrambled his brain even more, striking his senses and bringing the ringing to a fever pitch. Instantly, he shut his eyes again.

This was bad. Very, very bad. Ok. He had guessed wrong about the Cybermen coming to see him. That had been his ego talking, apparently. Unless it was customary for cyber ships to drop buildings on their guests. It wouldn't be the strangest tradition.

Another wave of furious pain shot through his forehead and leg, forcing a groan from the back of his throat. He knew he would have to get up eventually. He knew he couldn't stay there for long. He needed to stop the Cybermen. He needed to save the planet. He needed medical attention. Most of all, he needed sleep. Wonderful, beautiful sleep. _Mr. Sandman...bring me a dream._

Without any resistance, he let blissful rest take him once more.

Dawn, Fitz, and Bryant carefully but hurriedly made their way through the wreckage that had once been a building. The staircases weren't necessary anymore; a steep ramp had been made along the outer edge of the building. With soft steps and held hands, the trio made their way up the pile of debris. Once or twice someone began to slip, but one of the others was always there to catch them before they fell. Dawn clung as close to the center of the building as possible. Perhaps she was a bit keen on adventure, but she wasn't insane. The drop was at least a hundred feet, ending with the concrete pavement below. That fact kept her fingers wrapped on the sturdiest railings and furniture pieces available.

Every few steps, someone would call out the Doctor's name. Their eyes searched every crevice and rock pile; burned into each room they climbed alongside.

Dawn was just pulling herself up onto a desk when she saw him. They were at least five levels off of the ground, just a few floors below the main control room. As soon as her wide-eyed gaze landed on his black jacket, sprawled out beneath his still form, adrenalin rushed through her, pushing her off the desk and speeding up the final obstacle, a small hill of debris. Her feet seemed to glide up the incline. She didn't even have to think of where her feet were going, they simply went, charting the fastest course towards her friend. As a last minute idea, she called back to Fitz and Bryant, "He's here!" and continued on her way.

Now that she was level with him, she could see the small pile of rock and concrete covering the lower half of his body. The broken, metal ceiling tile laying next to his head, where she found a deep gash and a fair amount of blood messing the hair just above his forehead.

With shuddering steps, Dawn approached the awful scene. It was like a dream. (More like a nightmare.) She couldn't even feel the fear that was pounding her heart and making her head spin. This couldn't be real. None of this could possibly be real.

But as she drew closer and kneeled down beside him, avoiding any sharp pieces of metal and glass, the reality of the situation finally took hold. Softly she sniffed, tears distorting her vision. "Doctor..."

Her voice sounded strange out here. Too loud. Too quiet. Too everything.

With a hand that all of a sudden seemed very small and childlike, Dawn reached out to the Doctor's chest. It rose and fell calmly, and she could feel to definite heartbeats beneath her fingertips. (Then she hadn't been imagining things the other day!) An anxious laugh escaped her mouth, but it was silenced immediately as her ears caught the sound waves. Noise was just so wrong out here.

This was nothing like the hallway on the Ice Warrior ship. This was no invisible shock. This was no clean, bright hallway. This was dirty and windy and silent. The buildings on the horizon were shrouded in chaos. Metal men marched down parkways; into libraries. People shouted in the distance. Their voices were so small and high pitched from this great height. The man beneath her was clearly hurt, though she knew not how much. The wound on his head was messy and full of red. A few scratches cut his cheek. Dirt and ash had shadowed his usual pale skin.

Dawn sniffed again. Two pairs of footsteps rushed towards her from the rubbish pile. Fitz was already making a call to Kate. Bryant knelt next to Dawn, muttering, "Let's see what we're dealing with here."

The soldier's face was stoic. None of his fingers shook and his movements all seemed controlled and strong. He checked the Doctor over with medical precision. Casually, he mentioned to Dawn that he was a medic. That explained the calm demeanor he seemed to have through all of this, then.

As the man checked her friend's vitals, Dawn took the Timelord's hand off of his chest and held it in her own. She nearly laughed at herself. At home, she was the kind of person that despised affection, especially touching and hugging and holding hands. Apparently it took a few life-threatening situations and an apocalypse to bring out her touchy feely side.

"Oh, Doctor."

Dawn wrapped her other hand around the Doctor's, holding onto him like a lifeline. Bryant rattled off numbers beside her, working with Fitz on how they would get the rubble away from the president. At this, Dawn smiled to herself. She had assumed the Doctor was lying about that last thing. Apparently he really was the president of the world.

Her smile faded as the Doctor shifted slightly, his free hand's fingers lifting off of the concrete and rubbish, if only slightly. Dawn leaned in closer, as did Bryant. Worry gripped her throat and stomach again. When he was asleep, she could just pretend he was taking a nap. Now she would find out how hurt he was. She wasn't sure she'd like the answer. That ceiling tile seemed pretty strong. And the debris covering him had possibly injured his legs. What if he couldn't walk? What if they couldn't get him back down to the safety of the bunker?

The young teen bit her lip and sniffed one final time. Slowly, achingly slowly, the Doctor began to wake up.


	16. Trouble on the Homefront (4)

Trouble on the Homefront (4)

It was as if he had only blinked, just shut his eyes for a second, and new sounds were filtering into the Doctor's addled brain. A voice. Someone he knew...

"Oh, Doctor."

Dawn. Right. Of course. Another voice entered, too, but this one was unrecognizable. It was a young man, and he seemed to be reading out a set of numbers. Perhaps he was a mathematician. The Doctor loved meeting mathematicians. They always thought they knew so much more than they did.

A few more senses returned to him. Two warm, sweaty palms were holding his hand in their grasp. He could tell the person they belonged to was shaking. Unfortunately, with more consciousness came more pain, starting as a dull ache and building to short bursts that went through him every so often. The worst of it was in his head, but his legs were a close second. He couldn't even move them.

He softly lifted the fingers of his right hand, feeling the presence of the two people grow. Right; now they knew he was awake. He had to get up. As much as he hated to do so, he slowly began cracking his eyes open, taking in the scene around him as carefully as he could; passing out twice was enough for one day.

Dawn lifted one of her hands off of his, using the extremity to softly hold the Doctor's shoulder. Blue eyes met brown again. One pair was laced with pain. One pair was filled with sympathy. Both were terrified. Neither would admit it.

"Hello."

The Doctor tried his best to reply casually, but as he did, another wave of pain hit, jumbling his words into a groan. Dawn rubbed her hand against his shoulder. "It's ok. Don't talk. You're gonna be fine."

She glanced to her side, where the Doctor found a young man, staring at him with a kind smile. "I'm Doctor Bryant. Back there is my partner in crime, Officer Fitz. Can you look into this light please?"

Gritting his teeth, the Doctor did as he was told, though he could see at least two lights. Silently he wondered which one the UNIT doctor was talking about. Bryant sighed, sitting back on his heels. "He's definitely got a concussion. Not sure how bad yet; we'll need to run some tests for that. First we have to get him back to the bunker."

The Doctor took this time to take in his surroundings. The other half of the room had slipped down the building, creating a hill leading up to the level he lay on. He tried to move his legs, but they wouldn't budge. A fury of black dots clouded his vision as he struggled, and a grunt called Dawn's attention back to him. "Don't try to move. We'll get you out, okay?"

The Doctor gave her a baffled look, and then turned his head carefully down to his legs. He tried to hide the panic that flooded him as he saw the pile of debris that lay on top of him. His vision went blurry again for a moment and he suddenly saw four legs instead of two. Finally he shut his eyes and leaned his head back against the floor, squeezing Dawn's hand to let her know he hadn't fallen unconscious again. The young girl stroked his shoulder gently as he imagined himself in the TARDIS console room, drifting in the time vortex somewhere far away from London.

"What did Kate say?"

Fitz strolled over to where the other two sat and crouched down beside Bryant. "She told us to get him out as fast as we could, and then try to make our way back to the bunker."

"That's it? Not very helpful."

"She's trying her best. They're coming up with an idea to stop the Cybers right now."

"I'm almost glad I'm not down there. Tensions always run high with these sorts of things."

Dawn watched the men converse with raised eyebrows. As Bryant finished his reply, she cleared her throat loudly. "So; should we start?"

Fitz shook his head and returned to his standing position, returning to his militaristic composure. "Of course."

Bryant nodded to Dawn. "Sorry."

The girl smiled softly in response. Turning back to the Doctor, she asked, "You still awake?"

The Doctor opened his eyes slightly and squeezed her hand. It was absolutely killing her to see him like this.

Bryant lifted a few of the smaller rocks from the top of the pile as Fitz pulled out a slightly bigger stone. A few small pebbles of concrete slipped down towards the Doctor from the top of the hill, making Dawn's heart leap into her throat. Bryant threw a glare towards his companion. "Oy! Be careful, Fitzy!"

The other man apologized quickly, opting to clear off smaller rocks instead. Dawn merely sat beside the Doctor as the UNIT soldiers freed him. It seemed to take hours, but it was probably only a few minutes before the Timelord could be seen almost fully. As Bryant lifted one of the last, heavy pieces of concrete off of the Doctor's leg, Dawn heard her friend emit a pained gasp, his eyes opening again, the first time in many minutes.

"It's alright. Bryant and Fitz got you out."

The Doctor didn't dare move his head enough to see the men's work. He simply stared up at Dawn's two heads and tried to even out his breathing.

Bryant brushed off the dust from the Doctor's legs and looked him over. His right leg was definitely injured much more than the left, possibly even broken. With the state he was in, getting him back down to the bunker would be completely impossible. And anyway, he didn't want to hurt the Timelord's head any more than it already was. With wide eyes, he looked to Fitz.

"I know we said we wouldn't use it..."

"This qualifies as an emergency, I think." Dawn furrowed her eyebrows at them.

"What are you talking about?"

Bryant bit his lip anxiously as Fitz looked at the floor. After a moment's thought, he met Dawn's gaze. "Kate gave us a device...only for emergencies, she said. It's a, well...it's a teleporter."

Dawn's eyes grew to their largest size. "That's really cool. Why didn't you tell me before?"

Bryant glanced at Fitz. He wouldn't meet the young woman's gaze again. "It's extremely dangerous. Even the Doctor calls it 'dodgy', at least, he does in the reports. It should be fine, but you should know the risk."

A smile appeared on Dawn's face. "I've been traveling with the Doctor; there are metal men taking over the world...dangerous is literally everywhere right now. Dodgy will do."

Bryant and Fitz returned her grin, the former pulling a large wristwatch-like contraption out of his pocket. He places it on his arm quickly and took Fitz' hand in his own. "Put your hand on my arm and keep one on the Doctor. Don't let go until we've arrived, got that?"

Dawn switched which hand she was holding the Doctor's with and put her hand on Bryant's shoulder, gripping the fabric of his uniform tightly in her fingers. Bryant tapped the screen of the device with one finger and glanced around, double-checking everyone was connected. When he seemed satisfied, he pressed one more button and they were transported through the time vortex. Dawn much preferred travel by TARDIS.

They landed hard on the floor of the bunker, very nearly crashing into a desk and a few scientists. Dawn breathed deeply as soon as she couldn't. Yep. The TARDIS was definitely better. Slowly, she sat on the floor and put her head between her knees, trying to erase the odd lightheadedness that had fumbled her brain.

Bryant and Fitz went instantly to Kate, who had pushed through the crowd with haste. Fitz' voice was filled with anxiety. "Ma'am, the Doctor is hurt. We had to use the Vortex Manipulator, we had no choice."

Kate hushed him as kindly but as quickly as she could. "How is he?"

Her gaze were fixed on the Doctor, but she was speaking to Bryant. She knelt beside the Timelord, eyes scanning his body and landing on his gashed forehead. Bryant grabbed a medkit off of one of the desks and hurriedly crouched by her side. As he pulled out a bottle of water and a few tools, he rattled off, "Concussion. Possible broken leg. Nothing too bad, but we couldn't get him down here without the-"

"Yes, yes, it's fine. You're not going to get in trouble for using something I gave you."

Bryant poured some water over the Doctor's forehead, earning a groan of protest from the wakened alien, and replied hesitantly, "But, ma'am, it...it was from the black archive..."

Kate stood. "You might have your memory erased slightly, but that's all. Now get to work, Bryant. Save the Doctor or you will be in trouble."

Bryant nodded and returned to the man in front of him, placing a small towel over the wound on this head. The Doctor grunted again, turning Dawn's attention away from herself. She sat up and crawled back to his side, holding his hand again, even more tightly than she had earlier. Bryant was filling some sort of syringe.

"Timelord friendly painkiller. No aspirin."

Softly, the Doctor muttered, "What'll they think of next."

Dawn chucked at his slurred words. Bryant only now seemed to register that she was here again, and quickly instructed, "Can you clean off his forehead for me?"

Dawn nodded and began cleaning the blood from around Doctor's wound, hesitating every time he gritted his teeth or hissed in pain. As she worked on his head, Bryant was fixing up his leg. The painkillers could only do so much, and the Doctor struggled to stay awake, needing prodding from Dawn's palm every few minutes.

Twenty minutes later, they were finally finished, though Bryant was adamant the Doctor couldn't sleep yet. He put Dawn in charge of keeping him alert and then went away, back to Fitz, to await new orders. The young girl looked over her friend and felt a lump in her throat. His forehead and leg were wrapped in bandages. Bryant had told her they were made of some special kind of technology; only UNIT had it. He said the Doctor would be fine within the day.

She snapped herself back into the present as the Doctor tried to sit up. "What are you doing?"

"Can't stay awake. Floor's too comfy."

Dawn raised an eyebrow, but assisted him to the nearby wall and leaned him up against it. She sat in the spot right beside him, looking up at the people rushing about everywhere. Kate Stewart was barking orders to a few soldiers, then hovering above a computer operator. "Guess we're not of much use right now. We could've just left this up to UNIT."

When the Doctor didn't reply, Dawn turned her head sharply to her side and sighed. His forehead was slowly bending down, eyelids drifting shut. "Oy; no sleeping on the job. You're clocked in right now, aren't you? You said you work for UNIT."

The Doctor groaned. "Hardly."

"Well, today you do, so you have to stay awake...Mr. President."

The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows at her. "You don't have to call me that."

"You know, I thought you were joking. Who elected you? These guys?"

"Just leave it."

"Why is it 'President' anyway? Why not Prime Minister?"

The Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose. Dawn halted her jokes, gazing at him anxiously. In a quieter voice, she asked, "Are you alright?"

Before he could answer, Kate's voice called out loudly around the room. "Does anyone know where McGrath's Cafe is?"

Dawn lifted herself up so that she could be seen better and replied, "I work there."

Kate sighed as she looked over to the seventeen year old. Hesitantly, she continued, "There's a Cyberman in the alley beside it. The cyber controller, they call it. If we take him down, it'll stop all of the others automatically. None of us know the area. There's no information about it on the computers. Not a big enough population, I guess."

Dawn shrugged. "I know the area."

"Dawn...you're too young. It's too dangerous."

From behind her, the Doctor muttered, "She's right."

Dawn spun around and whispered, "Shh; I can help them. I have to."

Dawn got to her feet. The Timelord opened his eyes fully and tried to push himself up. "No. Dawn; you can't go out there."

The teen crouched down again and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be fine. I swear. You need to rest. Bryant and them will take care of you, okay?"

The Doctor took a deep breath and shut his eyes as a wave of pain hit. When he looked back at Dawn, his eyes were filled with unshed tears. From which source of pain, he'd never tell. "This is my fault."

"Nothing's your fault. Nothing's even happened yet. Don't worry."

"Things always happen."

Dawn stood without reply and joined Kate and her small band of foot soldiers, nodding to Bryant as she passed him. The UNIT doctor went to the Timelord and sat next to him. Fitz joined on the Doctor's other side. Kate cursed herself for letting this day turn out like this and took Dawn's hand. "Stay where I can see you."

Dawn agreed and watched Kate scoop up the vortex manipulator. A soldier grabbed her hand roughly. The young teenager took a deep breath as the room faded away.


	17. Trouble on the Homefront (5)

Trouble on the Homefront (5)

The streets Dawn had grown up on came into focus, bringing an odd sense of warmth through her chest. Of course, everything was coerced in a layer of dirt and grime, the storefronts were boarded up, cars abandoned, rubbish bins lay on their side, their contents uncollected in days. But it was home. Beneath one of the fading streetlights, Dawn saw a poster for the upcoming music festival. Nobody she knew ever actually went, but it came back every year nonetheless. There were only three decent musicians in the area, and none of them ever performed at the festival. Silently, Dawn wondered if they would still have it this year. If there would be a this year.

"Dawn; which way is it?"

In her reverie, the teen had forgotten the mission. With a shake of the head, she turned back to Kate and the UNIT soldiers. It was strange seeing them here. A small army in her own part of town. It had an odd, cinematic quality to it.

"It's this way. About three blocks down."

She led the group with shaky legs, Kate walking a step in front of her. The older woman was determined not to let anything happen to the young girl. She wouldn't be hurt. Not today. She was already blaming herself for the Doctor's injuries. She would not add a seventeen year old to the mix.

Dawn cleared her throat, willing up her courage. She had to be a leader. She didn't have the Doctor her to guide. She was the guide. They needed her. With fresh energy, she turned to Kate. "There's an alley before it, and one on the other side of it. We can send some people down one way and on group the other way; that'll trap the Cyberman. I can help you get upstairs, too, there's a staircase to the roof of the café."

Kate nodded firmly. "And if we have to retreat?"

Dawn bit her lip, racking her brain. "There's another alley. Behind the others. You'd have to jump a wall, but there's a stack of milk cartons and dumpsters you can use to get over."

Kate threw the girl a smirk. "You're very good at this. You should come work for us in a few years."

Dawn laughed anxiously. "I don't know. Not really my thing. I get it from my dad, I think. He was in the army for a few years. That's the only thing I get from him."

Dawn bit her tongue. Why was she being so open all of a sudden? Why was she talking about her dad? Why didn't she understand her own mind?

Kate didn't press the girl on, partly because she wanted to be polite, partly because they had walked two blocks already. "Kent; take a third of the platoon down that alley. Fraser; take a third down that way. Block off the next alley, but don't go in yet. Stay to the side. Everyone else, come with me."

Dawn led Kate and the remaking soldiers through the piles of debris and into the shop, thanking God she still had her key with her. The musky cafe didn't smell half as bad as the rest of the street, as Dawn had been cooking up the muffins and scones whenever she dared, but it still held an odd, apocalyptic vibe. Kate looked around with wide eyes. Dawn strolled around with ease, finally in her domain.

She grabbed a blueberry nutrition bar from one of the shelves and unwrapped it noisily, earning a few incredulous looks from the army beside her. "Sorry. Haven't eaten all day."

Kate signaled for the group to continue up the steps, but went herself towards Dawn. "Do you have the key for the roof."

The teen nodded, swallowing her food quickly. "Of course."

Kate held out her hand. "I can take it from here. You stay here; stay safe."

Dawn's mouth fell open to protest, but Kate put a hand up to stop her. "Don't argue. I have to keep you from harm. It might get dangerous out there."

"I told you, I'm-"

"Just...please. For me. I'll be back soon. Call the Doctor. Here; this is Bryant's number."

Kate drew a slip of paper from her pocket. The young teen passed her the keys over and took the paper in one movement, stepping back a few paces and sitting at the closest table. She took another bite of her nutrition bar as Kate went to the staircase. Just before following the soldiers up, she called back a last second, "Thank you," to Dawn, then was gone.

The teen gazed around the empty space, feeling the silence hover around her like a cloak. It hasn't been this quiet since she'd found the Doctor. _The broken concrete. Her friend, lying on the dirty ground, fear coursing through her veins. Buildings shuddering; crashing. Blood matting her friend's hair..._

Dawn closed her eyes, pushing the memories out of her head. Slowly, she unfurled the paper she had folded in her hands and took out her phone. Her fear of making phonecalls was practically forgotten. With unshaking fingers, she tapped in the number Kate had given her and waited patiently for Bryant to answer, staring out at the empty street outside.

Things in the UNIT bunker were less than thrilling. A quiet murmer passed through the scientists and the few soldiers who remained. Everybody was simply waiting for a reply from Kate and her brigade. If they succeeded, the whole invasion would be over. If they failed, then they had no chance.

The first ten minutes had been filled with excitement and fear. Nobody spoke; nobody moved. And then, as is with any terrifying wait, the people grew bored. A card game began in the corner. One scientist scrolled up and down the computer screen, not really reading any of the words written on it.

The Doctor was still sat leaned against the wall, in between Bryant and Fitz, and, surprisingly, he was the one person who hadn't gone stir crazy. He was too scared to be bored.

Nearly twenty minutes had passed without any word from Dawn or Kate. He knew that was to be expected; it would take them that whole time just to get to the cafe. But it made him anxious, anyway; against all reason. Why did his friends always have to take away his reason? It was one of the few things that was constant about him.

Without any warning, a shudder ran through the building once more, even shaking the bunker with its fury. The soldiers glances to each other, as did the scientists. Bryant and Fitz met each other's eyes and reached across the Doctor, holding each other's hands.

Another rumble, and the whole room vibrated furiously. One last shake, and everyone was sent flying to the floor, even seated people not able to hold them up as the room shifted and leaned. Bryant and Fitz' hands were forced apart as they both fell back, suddenly unable to catch the Doctor.

The Timelord was thrown out of his thoughts and into reality. He struggled to stay upright, but doing so made the ache in his head grow. A hand flew to his for head as the pain radiated, and he was knocked off balance by the sudden movement. Onto his side he fell, his head crashing into the floor below. Everything was cast into darkness once more.

As the chaos ended, the scientists slowly sat up, adjusting their hair and dusting off their clothes. A soldier fixed his goggles, rubbing them with the back of his hand disgruntledly. Bryant called out, "Is everyone alright?"

A few groans and grunted affirmations greeted him in response. He glanced over to Fitz and nodded, but froze as he took in the man's expression. He was staring, wide-eyed, at a spot directly behind Bryant. The UNIT doctor spun around and gritted his teeth.

The ringing was back. Great. And the darkness, of course. There were two sources of pain in his head now; one in his forehead, one on the side. Bryant's voice entered the Doctor's ears, less clinical than before. He opened his eyes slightly, getting a quick image of Bryant's eyes staring into his own, before shutting them again. "Sir? Sir, can you hear me?"

The Doctor looked up at the soldier again, taking in the frantic way he was turned to his partner. "Grab that bottle of water. And a few more bandages."

The Timelord closed his eyes for another second, reopening them only when Bryant's palm tapped roughly against his cheek. "Look at me, eh? Don't go to sleep just yet."

The Doctor faded in and out of sleep for the next few minutes, always wakened again by Bryant's hand. Fitz offered him water, but he was too delusional to take a drink. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard a phone ringing.

Bryant had had enough of today. He was fine with a bit of excitement. He was fine with a bit of pressure. But this wasn't just a bit of excitement. This wasn't a bit of pressure. This was a terrifying, life-or-death situation for himself, his patient, and everyone around him. This was one catastrophe after another, and, frankly, he was done with it.

Of course, having Fitz around made it a lot better, but it couldn't erase the nerves gripping his stomach or the shake his hand had acquired. As he sat holding the Doctor's head still, slapping his cheek whenever he dozed off, he cursed himself for getting this job. Hadn't it been so much easier in the family clinic? Kids with colds, that was the worst he ever had. No aliens. No invasions. No injured presidents.

The phone in his pocket suddenly began ringing. Bryant first rolled his eyes, then remembered who could possibly be calling him. Soon he realized everybody in the room was watching him as he answered. "Hello?"

"Hi, how's the Doctor? Is he good to talk yet?"

Dawn's voice was so calm and optimistic that it almost unsettled Bryant. She didn't know the man she was asking for was laid on the floor in front of the medic. He gulped before replying, "Ugh; I'm afraid we had some more trouble. The building started shaking again. Don't know what happened yet."

Dawn's heart seemed to stop beating. "I-is he okay?"

"He hit his head again, so that couldn't have helped anything. The faster we get to a safer spot, the better. How's the mission going?"

Dawn cleared her throat and shoved her worries away for a moment. "Oh, yeah, we got to the cafe. They're out there now, surrounding the cyberman. Kate's up on the roof with the rest of them."

"Good; okay."

A moment of silence passed between them, in which Dawn checked her phone's battery life. "I should hang up. Don't want my phone to die."

"Right. Call me back when you get more news."

"Will do."

Another second of nothingness. Bryant could tell Dawn hadn't hung up yet. Her shaky breaths came through almost as loud as her voice had. Finally, Bryant decided to speak again, dropping his doctor voice and opting for the one he saved for civilians (and Fitz). "Hey, Dawn?"

"Yeah?"

Bryant turned to the Doctor, who had closed his eyes again. He tapped his cheek roughly, smiling to himself when the Timelord creased his eyebrows and groaned. "I don't often say this, but...I promise he'll be okay. You don't need to worry, okay?"

"Thank you, Bryant."

The medic hung up his phone and looked back down at the Doctor. "You're the most cared for man in the universe, you know that?"

The Doctor smirked slightly. Fitz leaned down to Bryant's level and questioned jokingly, "What about you? I think you're pretty cared for, if I do say so myself."

Bryant grinned widely up to Fitz. "You're right."

Fitz pecked Bryant on the top of the head. The other man muttered softly, "Not at the workplace, Fitzy."

They chuckled with each other, until one of the scientists called out from the other side of the room, "That was the sweetest thing I've ever seen."

Bryant and Fitz both blushed tomato red, staring down at the floor awkwardly. Bryant saw the Doctor's smirk grow.


	18. Trouble on the Homefront (6)

Trouble on the Homefront (6)

Dawn set her phone down on the counter, face up, and took another bite of the nutrition bar. She trusted Bryant. She really, truly did. But she also worried about the Doctor. It was strange how close they had gotten so quickly. It was strange to feel this kind of fear for someone she had only met a week or so before.

Sounds of gunfire and other worldly weapons echoed through the alley outside. Dawn scooped up her phone and crouched behind the cash register. Looking up at the shelves full of coffee beans and paper cups, she remembered her life before. Before the Doctor. Before aliens and running and Cybermen. She had been working here for two years, just trying to make some extra cash so she could go to university next year. She hadn't even picked something to study yet.

A laser-like beam crashed into the brick wall outside, rocking the hanging lamps above the tables on the far wall. Dawn took a deep breath and grabbed the closest possible defense weapon - a large plastic spoon.

The door opened and closed loudly. The teen focused her attention on nothing but sound. One footstep. It didn't sound metallic, like a Cyberman's would, but Dawn wasn't ready to take any chances. Holding the spoon in both hands, she got to her feet and spun around, meeting the disheveled gaze of a UNIT soldier. She was panting, her hands on her knees, but Dawn caught a smile on her face. The woman pressed a button on the communication device on her shoulder and rested out, "We did it. Cyber controller down."

From five meters away, Dawn could hear the shouts of triumph from the communicator. She lowered the spoon back into it's proper place and maneuvered around the counter to stand by the soldier. There, the women waited until Kate and the rest of the team joined them. The coffee shop was more active than Dawn had ever seen it. She served everyone a quick coffee before they headed back to the bunker, a fresh spring in their steps though they were exhausted.

Halfway back to UNIT, Dawn froze, turning to Kate with an open mouth. "The TARDIS. It's all the way back in the alley."

The older woman smiled mysteriously. "We can transport it to UNIT."

Dawn turned away, creasing her eyebrows. She opened her mouth to respond, but closed it again. Finally, she made her thoughts vocal. "You can transport the TARDIS?"

"We've been working with the Doctor for a very long time. As long as the TARDIS is on Earth, we can move it to us. When he's off in space, well, that's a different story."

Dawn shook her head in disbelief. "Science is amazing."

With proud eyes, Kate stated, "Science leads."

When they stepped into the bunker, they were met with much clapping and cheering. One of the computer operators had found a hidden fridge full of champagne, and the mall group of UNIT workers had a celebratory drink, culminating in an off-key round of "God Save the Queen."

Dawn went instantly to the Doctor, who was still lying on the flor with Bryant and Fitz chatting above him. He was slightly more aware now, able to throw in a quick word every now and then, but the medic insisted he take him to the TARDIS' medbay when Kate got around to transporting it. Dawn concurred immediately.

The blue box materialized right beside the young teenager, it's glowing windows offering a sign of joy that brought a smile onto the girl's face. This was it. They had made it. A quick text to her mother told her everything was great in the country; they didn't even know anything had happened. The cities were filled with thousands of broke metal men, and many buildings would need reparations, but everything was fine for now.

Bryant and Fitz helped the Doctor into his ship, carrying him over their shoulders, and Dawn followed slowly behind, taking in everything around her. Unexpectedly, Kate put a hand on the teen's back. Dawn turned around and nodded. "Thank you."

Kate returned the grateful phrase and let Dawn go after the trio. They were already across the console room. With a sigh, the Brigadier's daughter returned to her small UNIT family and took a glass of champagne. It wasn't every day they celebrated simply being alive.

"'M fine."

"Your leg is, but you've still got a concussion. Fitz and I are staying for another hour, at least."

The Doctor groaned. Yes, he still had a headache, and yes, admittedly, he wasn't fit to travel. But being forced to lie down in the medbay, staring at the cieling, while three people watched like hawks was not making him feel any better. He sighed once more and closed his eyes. "Can I go to sleep now?"

Bryant, Fitz, and Dawn simultaneously grunted a "No", prompting the Timelord to groan once more. Dawn looked up to the two soldiers with a smile. "Thank you. For everything."

Bryant returned the smile. "Do you think you can take it from here?"

"Yeah; think so. I'll keep him out of trouble."

Fitz chuckled. "I'm afraid that's going to be impossible. I've read all the stories. 'Trouble' is our president's middle name."

They all shared a laugh that ended in an awkward silence. Bryant and Fitz looked to the medbay door and looked at the floor. Bryant cleared his throat, "We better be going, I guess. Might be a few scratches to fix up."

Dawn nodded, biting her lip, and finally wrapped Bryant and Fitz in a hug. Past her was laughing. Hugging used to be such a terrifying experience. Oh how times had changed.

Fitz put his hands in his pockets and stated, "We'll see you again. Probably soon, I dare say."

Bryant rolled his eyes. "Let's hope your wrong about that. No offense, Dawn, but I think one alien attack is enough for right now."

Dawn nodded. "Agreed."

The couple gave the teen one last smil, turned to each other, and were gone. Dawn watched the men go until the door slammed behind them. She smiled for a moment longer, then sat in a high seat beside the Doctor. "How you doing?"

"Better...ish."

"So what are we going to do for the rest of the day?"

The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows, sitting up slowly. "You don't have to stay, you know. You can go home."

"There's nobody at home. Mum's at my uncle's, remember?"

"Right."

"Besides, I...want to stay. Make sure you're ok."

"I'm fine."

"Please...let me help you. You're always worrying about everyone else. Someone should worry about you, too."

The Doctor looked down, closing his eyes as a dull ache ran through his forehead. Opening his eyes again, he replied, "Dawn, I worry about you because you're in my care. It's not supposed to be the other way around."

Dawn stared at the floor, awkwardly shifting her weight. Cyber crisis over. Feelings talk now uncomfortable. Touchy feely Dawn has left the building. With a sigh, the girl pushed past her anxiety and said what she wanted to.

"You're like a father to me. My dad never took me on adventures; not even to the shop. He wasn't there when I needed him, not like you always are. So when I see you hurt...it's not like we're strangers anymore, so when you're hurt, it's like my best friend is hurt...my best friend and best father figure."

Dawn took a deep breath, still looking anywhere but the Doctor's eyes. As for the Timelord, he was absolutely stunned. Of course he had thought of Dawn like a daughter since day one, but to hear it said out loud was something else entirely. The awkwardness of the emotional conversation lay forgotten in the back of his mind. After a second, he stood and pulled Dawn into one of his rare hugs, careful to not move his head too much.

"You're like a daughter to me, Dawn. That's why I don't want you getting hurt."

"I don't want you getting hurt, either, Doctor."

The Doctor smiled. "We're both too stubborn to listen to each other, though, eh?"

Dawn chuckled, and they parted. The Doctor sighed, slightly exhausted. "What do you say we go to Jupiter?"

Dawn shook her head, maintaining her smile. "I'm going to sleep. You can, too, if you want. Bryant said twenty minutes and I think it's been a lot longer."

"I don't sleep, Dawn."

"That reminds me; do you have two hearts or something?"

The Doctor answered simply with a mysterious grin. Dawn squinted back at him, nodding. "Learning more and more about you every day."

"Oh, trust me, you'll never know everything. I don't even know everything."

"About yourself?"

"Nobody knows much of anything about themselves."

Dawn pondered over that for a moment you, and then turned to the door. "I suppose not."

The Doctor waved to her as she left the room without another word. Around the TARDIS she wandered for a few minutes, trying to decide whether to go back to London or not. Ultimately, she fell asleep on the Doctor's leather chair, a copy of Harry Potter resting open-faced on her lap.


	19. Rockstar

Rockstar

"Ugh...Doctor?"

Without looking up from the controls he was fiddling with beneath the console, the Doctor replied, "Yeah?"

A sparks flew around his face, forcing him to quickly cower away, tossing Dawn a quick grin before ducking back under to adjust a few wires. The teen simply raised an eyebrow at him. "Is this yours?"

From behind her back, Dawn pulled a beautiful, shiny red guitar. The Doctor closed the small panel he had been working with and got to his feet. "Yes; of course."

Dawn nodded approvingly of the instrument, handing it over to the Timelord. "I always wanted to play. Never got around to it."

The Doctor looked over his guitar, biting his lip awkwardly. After a moment, he tilted his head. "Well, maybe, ugh, I could teach you. That is, if you still want to learn."

Dawn's doe eyes looked up at him. "Really?"

The Doctor nodded agreeably. "Of course. Here; sit down."

Dawn sat on the nearby flight chair as the Doctor wrapped the guitar strap around her tightly. Softly, he placed her arms in the correct position and stood beside her. "Now; hold down one of the strings...a bit harder. And use your fingertips. Perfect. Strum just that string."

Dawn glanced up at him with a smile written on her face. "How was that?"

"Good. Very good."

The young teen played the note again and again, smiling every time it came out well, gritting her teeth when it more or less shrieked. The Doctor adjusted her finger slightly. "Make sure you're holding it close to the fret."

Dawn played the note once more, then looked back up to the Doctor. "Can you teach me a song?"

"Sure, yeah."

The Doctor moved her fingers gently to a different spot. Now she was holding down three strings. He instructed her to strum, and she did so. Next, he had her pluck a few other strings as he maneuvered her fingers to hold them down in different spots on the neck of the guitar. When he had finished showing her the notes, she played on her own for a bit, slowly improving with each round.

After five or six times playing it through, Dawn slid the strap back over her head and held the guitar out for the Doctor. "You should play it, so I know what it sounds like."

The Doctor took the challenge immediately, wrapping the strap over his shoulder and taking his favorite pick out from his pocket. Dawn creased her eyebrows. "How come I didn't get a pick?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Sorry. I've only got the one. Don't want anything to happen to it; Buddy Holly gave it to me."

Dawn's jaw dropped. "Buddy Holly gave you a guitar pick?"

The Doctor nodded nonchalantly and strummed a few chords at random. He didn't even notice his companion's stupefied face staring up at him. When he again looked down at her, he furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"

The girl merely shook her head. "You actually met Buddy Holly. That is...it's one thing to meet aliens and things, but Buddy Holly!"

The Doctor smirked. "I played with the Beatles once."

Dawn's jaw dropped to the floor. This time, the Doctor noticed, but continued casually anyway. "Georgie never let me touch his guitar. He always was a private one. Kept to himself a lot."

Dawn shut her mouth and closed her eyes for a moment. The Doctor's smile grew. "Anyway, you wanted to hear me play?"

"Yes; right. Show us how it's done, Doc Rock."

The Doctor gazed into space a moment as he adjusted his fingers over the strings. "Doc Rock; I like that. Even better than Doctor Disco. I might keep that."

The Timelord finally began playing the song he had taught Dawn, though it sounded much different. The TARDIS was filled with the soothing song; a song that was full of hope and care and just enough adventure. A song that had seen tragedy and wonders.

When the last chord had rung out peacefully, Dawn's quiet voice inquired, "What song was that?"

The Doctor's eyes seemed to glaze over slightly, like he was trying to remember something from a dream. "I think it's called Clara."

A strange silence overtook them for a few seconds, until the Doctor cleared his throat and set his guitar against the railing. Dawn stood beside him with a new smile stretching across her face. "That was really good. You should play more often."

The Doctor returned the smile, if only just, and went to the Console. "The universe is already full of songs. The best of them can't be heard or played. They have to be lived."

Dawn watched him for another minute, as he gazed at the screen and dialed in a few sets of coordinates. Her mind was running over us words the entire time. Even as the Doctor pulled down a red lever and pressed a few buttons on the control panel, Dawn wondered who Clara must be and why the word 'song' meant something different to her than it did to him.


	20. The Genius of Milan (1)

The Genius of Milan (1)

Dawn paced around the Console in a slow circle, her hand tracing along the edge of the Control panels, lifting away when she reached where the Doctor stood. As she shifted her path around him for a third time, the Timelord cleared his throat pointedly. "Dawn?"

The human stopped in her tracks, turning towards him. The vague faze her eyes had held all this time faded into focused attention. "Yes, Doctor?"

"Would you like to meet a friend of mine?"

"Sure. Who is it?"

"You tell me."

The Doctor slid the screen to face his companion as he clicked a few buttons on the Console. Dawn's lips parted in a smile. "That's Leonardo Da Vinci, right? You've met him?"

The Doctor pulled down a lever and cranked one last switch with his other hand. "You can't be a time traveler and not meet Da Vinci. There's probably a law against it somewhere."

Dawn leaned in closer, eyes widening. "What's he like? I did a report on him for school once."

Slowly, the Doctor turned around, leaning on the control panel and folding his arms across his chest. He hissed in a breath through gritted teeth. "Well, he's a tricky one, that Leo."

He waved her off suddenly, taking two large strides towards the TARDIS doors. "You have to meet him for yourself. Oh, one last thing...don't mention the Mona Lisa. He goes absolutely mental."

Dawn smiled confusedly as she followed him to the door. "Why? What's wrong with the Mona Lisa?"

The Doctor tilted his head back and forth, hand grasping the door handle. "It's a long story. He ended up painting it over five times for a greedy alien cyclops."

This explanation brought more questions than answers to Dawn's mind, but she kept silent. The TARDIS doors were opening in front of her and ancient, dusty light was streaming into her eyes. Her lips reached across her face.

The Doctor greeted someone in front of him with a wide smile, his voice ringing out, "Leonardo! Nice to see you again."

Dawn shut the TARDIS door as she stepped beside the Doctor. In front of her stood a middle aged gentlemen, with a thick beard and baggy, draped clothes. The teenager's eyes widened even more. "Y-you're...Leonardo..."

The man smiled kindly and held out his hand, which she shook absentmindedly. Her eyes were glued to his face. The Doctor watched the encounter with growing awkwardness, and soon ended it with a hand on Leonardo's shoulder. He dragged him towards an old wooden workbench as he questioned, "So what have you been up to lately? Get any more paintings done?"

Da Vinci shook his head, maintaining his smile. "Ah, no; not since I saw you last. I've been creating things. Machines. Painting has...lost it's touch with me."

Dawn joined them by the table, casting a pitiful sideways glance at the Italian. "But you're paintings are so good!"

The man folded his hands together. "Perhaps. But painting comes so easily to me now. I need challenges; I need to improve; constantly. Learning never exhausts the mind, my dear."

Dawn stared at the man in a stupor for a moment. She only blinked out of it when the Doctor closed a book rather powerfully. The dust that filtered up from it forced a sneeze from the big, strong Timelord. "Don't have much time for cleaning lately, do you, Leo?"

Da Vinci let out a slight chuckle. "Kennis certainly keeps me busy."

The Doctor's eyes lit up at this last statement. He filed his head and, with renewed urgency in his voice, asked, "Who's Kennis?"

Leonardo replied quickly, "Kennis Bevorder. He seems very interested in my latest inventions. He's been acting as a sort of patron to me for the past few weeks. Doesn't pay as well as the duke, of course, but he does understand me more than anyone else ever has, which has to count for something.

The Doctor flitted in between Dawn and Da Vinci, bouncing around the small room from table to table. Occasionally, he would scoop up a book a flip through the pages. Mostly, though, his finger danced on his chin, brain working furiously. As he tossed a small notebook back onto it's table, Leonardo approached him. "Ugh, Doctor. What are you doing?"

Da Vinci's voice called the Doctor's owlish eyes towards himself, along with a long, pointed finger. "What's the last thing you were working on?"

"Well, I was dabbling with the 'flying machine' idea a bit yesterday. Invented a new type of battle weapon recently. Oh, also a proposed tank. Military use only, of course. I despise war almost as much as you, Doctor.

The Doctor shook his head and spun back to the stacks of books, turning through the pages once more. "There's something I'm missing; there's gotta be. Wait. Wait; go back. What did you say?"

The Timelord nearly pounced on the poor scientist. Dawn came between them and lightly reached out to the Doctor's shoulder. "Alright, Doctor. Let him think."

Leonardo bit his lip, staring at a spot on the floor. A moment later, he looked up with a glint in his eyes. "Ah; I said I had been working on a new weapon. A constant stream of arrows of some kind-"

"No, no; before that."

"Oh, ugh, I designed a type of flying machine. That was just a rough sketch, though-"

"Where is it?"

Da Vinci traversed across the room to a table near the TARDIS. His hands flew through books and papers, tossing them carelessly aside. The more organized portion of Dawn's brain was screaming.

Leonardo's thoughtless paper-rummaging became even more frantic as half of the table lay cleared. When his final search was accepted as fruitless, the beaded Italian turned to the Doctor. His eyes were wide and full of panic. "It's gone! It was right here yesterday."

Dawn's eyes scanned over the mess the room had quickly become, and asked as politely as she could manage, "Are you sure you haven't just lost it?"

Leonardo have her an incredulous look and replied simply, "This is organized chaos. I always know where everything is. Except now, of course, I don't know where my sketch is. But it isn't here, that's certain."

The Doctor was standing still and silent, arms crossed. He bit his right thumbnail unconsciously. Dawn went over to him cautiously. "Doctor...why would someone want Leonardo Da Vinci's flying machine sketches? Is it someone looking for a profit; like that greedy cyclops you told me about?"

Without turning his eyes away from their focus on the wall, he replied coolly, "I believe it's something far worse than that. And I think it has something to do with a Mr. Kennis Bevorder


	21. The Genius of Milan (2)

The Genius of Milan (2)

The Doctor shook out of his gaze, hurrying to Leonardo. "Who exactly is Kennis Bevorder? Where did you meet him?"

Da Vinci tapped his hands together anxiously. "Well, I believe we met at the market. Yes; he was passing by when my scrolls fell out of my hand. He helped me pick them up and then we got into a conversation about my inventions."

The Doctor's intense stare bore into the man's distant, remembering eyes. When the Timelord spoke, it was with such urgency that Dawn was almost afraid. "What did he say about these inventions?"

A soft smile appeared on Leonardo's face at this question. "Actually, he seemed to understand them; better than anyone else ever had. It was then that he agreed to be my patron."

The Doctor backed up, rubbing his hands over his mouth quickly. Dawn stepped in between the two men, her eyebrows lowered in thought. "Wait, Doctor, I did a lot of research for that project I told you about...there was no Kennis Bevorder. Wouldn't he have been mentioned if he had been Leonardo's patron?"

Da Vinci's curiosity was peaked at the mention of his name, and his gaze focused back in the room, straight on Dawn's brown eyes. "Sorry, did you say something about me? A project?"

Dawn shook her head without looking away from the Doctor. "Well?"

The Doctor nodded, eyes flitting back and forth as his mind raced around. "Right. Leo," his head shot up to meet Da Vinci's kind eyes. "Does Kennis ever come here?"

"Oh, yes, every week. In fact, he should be here tomorrow morning to give his, ugh, patronage." The man grinned softly to himself. Dawn cast him a silent, side-eyes grin. She, too, knew the joy that was pay day.

The Doctor glanced around the space quietly before asking, "Would it be alright if we stayed here tonight, Leo?"

Leonardo opened his arms in a wide gesture. His grin reached his eyes instantly. "Of course. Friends such as yourself are always welcome."

Dawn noticed the Doctor flash one of his rare, kind smiles before he exited to the TARDIS. Dawn nodded in thanks to Da Vinci as she followed her traveling companion.

The Doctor went to the Console immediately, opening a hatch beneath it and tossing out a pile of gadgets and wires. At last, he uttered, "Ah, there we go!" and pulled out a large metal rectangle. A few odd sensors hung out on the side of it. The screen looked like a radar.

"What's that?"

The Doctor tilted the device proudly. "This is how we're going to learn Kennis Bevorder's true identity."

"You don't think Kennis is a normal Renaissance guy, then?"

"Not a chance."

Dawn raised an eyebrow. "Alien?"

The Doctor looked down at the gadget in his hand. "Either that or a time traveler. Honestly, I don't know which would be rarer."

Dawn chuckled. "You must be the rarest of all, then. An alien time traveller."

The Doctor smiled slightly at her words, but she caught a glimpse of sadness buried in his eyes. Perhaps it was just the light. She dropped the subject instantly, letting a yawn escape her. "Anyway, I better get to sleep. Big day tomorrow. It's always a big day tomorrow with you, though, isn't it?"

They shared another smile and Dawn turned to the TARDIS doors. As she opened one, the Doctor called, "Dawn; I'm sure Leo will lend you some blankets and a pillow if you ask nice enough."

"Thanks, Doctor."

"Don't thank me; thank him."

Dawn shut the doors as she re-entered Leonardo's workshop. The Doctor leaned on the Console, staring at the doors for a moment. He could faintly hear Dawn ask if there was a spare bed of some sort. Without knowing why, he smiled to himself before getting back to work on the scanner.


	22. The Genius of Milan (3)

The Genius of Milan (3)

The next morning, Dawn awoke to the sound of three people in the room with her. With eyes barely in focus, she jumped out of bed and widened her gaze at Leonardo, the Doctor, and a third, smaller man in the center. It was clear that he was wearing a large cloak to cover himself up with. She couldn't even see his eyes, but from where she stood, his chin seemed to be blue.

She yawned accidentally, turning the men's attention toward herself. The Doctor's eyebrows were drawn in that certain way Dawn had learned to identify as 'feeling a mix of anger and sympathy'. Most people called it 'furious'. Most people didn't know the Doctor like she did.

Leonardo's expression was very different. His eyes shine with passion and fear. It was clear that an argument was coming. Information had just been learned that had changed everything. Dawn had gotten the drill by now. Today wasn't going to be easy.

The third man slowly faced Dawn, keeping his face covered in his beige cloak. The hand grasping the fabric over his nose was gloved in black leather. Dawn didn't know what to make of him.

The Doctor threw a glance at Leonardo before stepping towards Dawn and holding out the scanner silently.

Species: Drewian

Planet of Origin: Hera

Solar System: Lank 3

Dawn nodded in understanding at the device, giving Leonardo a sad gaze. He had known. Of course he had known; he was the greatest genius of all time. Even a pudding brain knew when a blue alien was standing in front of them.

The Doctor set the scanner on the table beside him, putting his hands in his pockets. "So; care to explain, Kennis?"

The blue alien lifted off his hood, revealing his tall, bald head for the first time. He seemed almost humanistic, except for the enormous black eyes he had. When he spoke, his voice was gentle and soft.

"My ship crash landed here a week or two ago. I tried to fix it myself, but it is utterly ruined. The parts I need are at least a hundred light years away. Eventually, I realized I would be stuck here for the time being, though the technology is far less developed than I'm used to. Then I met Leonardo. He has a mind that rivals those of my time. He is further in his ideas and inventions than anyone else on this planet can even imagine. I thought, perhaps, I could use some spare parts from my ruined ship and help him bent those dreams into reality. We can take the human race forward; build the future."

The Doctor closed his eyes, head sinking low. Dawn bit her lip. Leonardo watched from behind Kennis with longing in his gaze. Finally, the Italian spoke, stepping beside both of his alien friends. "Think about it, Doctor. Humans, flying! Medicine far beyond what we have. So many lives saved and improved."

"And so many lives destroyed."

The Doctor's cold words cut through the small space like a knife. Dawn's mouth fell open slightly as she approached him slowly. "Doctor..."

Leonardo eyes the Gallifreyan mysteriously. The Doctor, with his eyes dark and seemingly unblinking, continued.

"Think about it, Leonardo. Who do you work for? The duke. And how many weapons have you designed? How many tanks and machine guns? What do you think will happen? Civilization will have new types of warfare, centuries before they're supposed to exist."

Leonardo's kind eyes flared in defiance. "We won't show them those. Only the good things."

The Doctor's voice didn't falter, but kept its steady straightforwardness. "Even the best of intentions can lead to terrible consequences in the wrong hands. Right now, you're one of the most influential people in this city, maybe even the country. How do you know someone important and powerful won't hire you and force you into creating their weapons? If you show them it can be done, they won't ever stop."

Silence hung in the space after his speech. Deafening silence. All four were close to tears. Softly, the Doctor muttered, "You also know that Kennis can't stay."

The blue alien widened his already huge eyes at the Timelord. "Where can I go?"

"I have a ship. I can take you home."

Kennis glanced from the Doctor to Dawn, who gave a slight nod in affirmation, though her eyes were glazed over and her mind was somewhere else. "Thank you. Thank you very much, sir."

Slowly, he turned to Leonardo. "You know it is for the best, my friend."

The human and the alien embraced each other tightly. When they parted, Kennis Bevorder strolled to the door, putting his hood up again. "I must get a few things from my ship. I shall return soon, Doctor. And...thank you, again, sir. I cannot say that enough."

Suddenly, Da Vinci shook his head in distress, pacing around the room. "It isn't fair, Doctor."

The Doctor's eyes closed again, hands folding over each other. "Believe me, I know."

Leonardo wiped at his eyes, facing away from Dawn and the Doctor. "Besides you, he was the only one who actually understood what I was saying."

The Italian returned to where they stood, getting himself slowly under control. The Doctor was leaned against the table, eyes staring blankly at the center of the floor. Dawn stood beside him in the same state.

"Everyone here is so...set in their ways. I thought it was only Florence...that's why I came here. They embrace the new in Milan. But they don't understand what I write, so it goes us own as just a simple, meaningless sketch."

The Doctor's head raised. "I wouldn't say that."

"But it's true, Doctor. Being intelligent has its advantages, I'll give it that, but what good is genius without company? Without understanding? I suppose I am just an ordinary man, overcome with confidence and greed. I shouldn't look for praise in this way; I really shouldn't."

Leonardo walked to the opposite end of the table, tinkering loosely with a small hammer-like tool. Dawn turned to the Doctor, who was still staring at the floor. "Ugh, Doctor? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

The Doctor gazed at her confusedly, prompting her on. "We've got a time machine."

At first, he seemed to be even more baffled by her words, but slowly they took meaning and he nodded. "It's risky...he'll need new clothes."

Now it was Leonardo's turn to be lost in their conversation. "What was that, Doctor? I did just purchase these robes the other day."

Dawn giggled to herself. The Doctor simply smiled his warmest smile to his old friend. "It's time for that trip I promised you all of those years ago."

Dawn understood from the Timelord's words and the Italian's glimmering eyes that this was important. Softly, the trio clambered into the time machine. Leonardo's eyes widened, but he merely laughed. As the Doctor pulled down a zigzag lever, however, Da Vinci's smile dropped. "What about Kennis?"

The Doctor waved him off without a second glance. "We'll be back a second after we left. Time machine, remember?"

Leonardo shook his head and gazed at the floor. "I'll never be able to understand physics quite like you, Doctor."

The Doctor flashed him a smile as the TARDIS thudded to a stop. Dawn let go of the railing she had been clinging to and stepped towards the door. Leonardo followed slowly behind her. "You never said; where are you taking me, Doctor?"

The Timelord turned to his young companion, who returned the look with a twinkle in her eye. Without responding, the Doctor went to the door and pulled it open, holding it for Leonardo as he stepped through the threshold. "Welcome to the future."

As if on cue, an airplane whizzed directly above them, soaring towards the London skyline in the distance. Da Vinci's jaw dropped nearly to his chest. Dawn smiled and leaned against the TARDIS as the Renaissance man wandered in a daze around the park they had landed in. The Doctor crossed his arms and say his back against the blue doors beside her. As Leo our his hands on his sides, taking in the sight before him, the teen inquired to her friend, "Is this safe?"

"I've done this once before; with Vincent Van Gogh. Let him see his art on a museum."

Dawn grinned widely. "Really? That's amazing."

The Doctor sighed, gazing distantly towards Leonardo. "I couldn't manage to change his future much, but I think I made him feel better about himself. I hope so, anyway. That's all anyone really can do, is hope."

Dawn stared mysteriously at the alien beside her before. "I guess so."

At that moment, Da Vinci came bounding towards them. His eyes were wid with childish wonder and excitement. "Their wagons-they have...and the flying machine! They have flying machines! Actual people, up in the sky. Oh, Doctor-"

The man hugged the Doctor tightly around the waist. Lightly, the Doctor smiled in reply and returned the embrace with one arm. "You're enjoying yourself."

Leonardo pulled away, keeping a strong hold on the Doctor's forearms. "How could one not enjoy themselves here? It's absolutely wonderful. They even still have butterflies."

Dawn smiled at the man's utter joy and gentility. The Doctor leaned forward slightly, muttering quietly, "It's all because of you."

The Doctor tilted back again, raising his eyebrows. His eyes scanned the horizon and the park. "Everything. It's all because of your ideas. You fuel the human race forward."

Leonardo was stuck still, hardly able to produce words. "Th-they understand? Someday, they understand my inventions? They build them?"

The Doctor merely nodded in confirmation and smiled as Leonardo wrapped him in another embrace. They stayed like that for a moment, Dawn watching the two men with a wide grin on her face. Then, slowly, Da Vinci let the Timelord go. His expression had faltered slightly. "'Tis a shame, though. In my time, I fear, I am alone with my ideas. If I could only bring one of my inventions not the world...but it is not to be."

The Doctor eyes the man for a moment. The kindness that shine in his eyes was more than Dawn had ever seen him express. "It's not going to be easy, I know. But the world isn't ready for your inventions yet. Everything has its time, and sometimes that's for the best."

Leonardo smiled politely. "Genius begets loneliness, I suppose. It's only natural."

The Doctor gazed at the ground awkwardly. Softly, he closed his eyes and sighed. "Look, Leo...you don't have to be alone. You might feel like it sometimes, even when you're surrounded by people, but you aren't, not really. There's always someone...whether you see them or not. They're looking out for you; watching you; praising you. Don't let those other pudding brains bring you down. You will change the world someday. People will never forget you."

Leonardo, with tears resting in his eyes, grabbed the Doctor in one final hug. Dawn wiped at her own eyes silently and entered the TARDIS moments before the other two. She was almost exhausted from all of the emotions she was feeling. She watched the scanner as the Doctor and Da Vinci came shakily through the door, smiling at the distant London skyline. Home. And one of the greatest men who ever lived had been there.

The TARDIS team flew Leonardo back to Milan in perfect time, landing just a minute before Kennis re entered the workshop. The blue man glanced around the room, struggling to hold all of his supplies in his two arms, and called out Leonardo's name. The Italian made a dash for the door, pausing only at the last second. "Dawn, it was a pleasure to meet you. And Doctor...thank you. I hope to see you again soon, my friend."

"Likewise."

They shared a quick smile before Da Vinci hurried out to meet Kennis. Their goodbye lasted at least two minutes, in which Dawn and the Doctor gazed absently around the ship, thinking of all they had witnessed and said today. Kennis shuffled in with all of his things noisily, and the Doctor flew him home instantly. Kennis and Dawn merely smiled politely to each other and held onto the railings as tightly as they could.

Kennis' planet proved to look almost exactly like Earth. The grass was green, if a slight shade darker, and the sun was about the same size, though it glowed a little more orange than white in the clear blue sky. Kennis pulled along all of his things as he exited and waved goodbye. The Doctor nodded and Dawn returned the wave, then they both ducked back into the time machine and took their respective places by the Console. The Timelord stood in front of a button-covered control panel, leaning on the Console deck with both hands holding his weight. Dawn watched the rising and falling of the central Time Rotor. Silence, other than the soft clicks and whirrs of the old ship, filled the space once more.

Suddenly, Dawn remembered the sad flash that had bolted into the Doctor's eyes earlier because she hinted at his people; how he never had truly told her anything about himself; the knowledgeable way he spoke about loneliness. Finally, Dawn took a step towards the Doctor, her arms crossed and her legs leaned on the Console. "Hey, ugh, Doctor?"

He turned his eyes to meet hers and replied quickly, "Yes?"

Dawn shifted her weight and glanced at the floor. "Ugh, I was just wondering if you wanted to tell me more about yourself. It's just, I only realized today that I don't really know anything about you. I mean, we don't have to if you don't want to."

The Doctor straightened himself and nodded. "Okay."

He seemed surprised himself that the affirmative answer had burst so suddenly from his lips. His eyes widened slightly and he took a deep breath in before bidding against. "Okay."

He motioned for Dawn to sit in the command seat that sat nearby as he pulled another chair from the opposite side of the room. If Dawn was honest, it was as if the TARDIS had provided it for him.

They sat in their respective seats, staring absently at points beside each other's shoulders. The Doctor finally inquired, "Where should I start?"

Dawn replied casually, "How about the beginning?"

Slowly, the Doctor began to tell his story. He told her of Gallifrey, and how he has lost and found it. How he was simultaneously furious and in love with the Timelords. He told her of his companions, and how they always managed to break his hearts and then stitch them up again. He explained his regenerative abilities and his telepathic mind.

As his voice slowly faded into a whisper and his tale concluded, Dawn eyes him with new vision. She could see all past eleven selves in him, twelve if she looked hard enough to find the War Doctor. She could see his heartbreaks and his losses and his triumphs. She could see why he liked traveling alone; why he was so protective over her. More than anything, Dawn could understand why he had run; why he always ran; and why he lived the strange, inconsistent life he led.

They were sat on the lowest step of the staircase now, as they had wandered around throughout the Doctor's amazing story, but neither of them would meet the other's eye. The Doctor held his hands together in front of him, staring at them absently. Dawn sat in the same position, though her brown eyes were turned towards her companion. Slowly, she brought her arms up and placed them around the Doctor's shoulders, turning her body awkwardly to the side. The Doctor returned the small hug and they stayed like that for a few moments, taking everything in. Dawn's soft voice whispered, "Thank you."

The Doctor didn't respond, but simply pulled away from the hug and got to his feet. He let out an exhausted sigh as he helped Dawn to her feet. The girl felt a smile play at her lips. "I'll tell you what; let's go somewhere awesome."

The Doctor returned the smile quickly. "Sounds perfect."

They both practically ran to the Console and tapped in some random coordinates. The Doctor nodded to a lever sitting in front of Dawn and she pulled it with childish glee. The ship jerked and the time travellers laughed as they sped towards their next destination.


	23. The Eternal Sunlight (1)

**Hi everyone! Thank you for all of the reviews you've given me! I hope you keep enjoying this story as it goes on. I may not update it quite as often as I used to, and I want to write some other fics as well, but I'll try to give you guys a new chapter at least once a week still. Again, thank you for all of the reviews and just for simply reading so far!**

The Eternal Sunlight (1)

Dawn peered out the doors with her eyes squinted tightly, almost closed. The Doctor stood slightly above her, slightly behind her, leaning out at looking around the barren planet. Dawn turned her curious gaze up to him. "Where are we?"

"Luceat Solas. The land of eternal sunlight. The sun literally never sets on any one part of the planet."

"Isn't that bad? Won't it be really hot? Like the one side of the moon?"

The Doctor cocked his head to the side. "It's not the most comfortable planet, but it's far enough from its sun that it's habitable."

Dawn jumped out of the threshold and took a few steps out into the sunlight. As the Doctor had promised, it was a bit warm for her liking, but not deathly hot.

Her grin widened. A new planet. A brand new planet, all for her to explore. Just her and the Doctor and this empty, vast quary of rock and sand.

The Timelord followed her slowly, one foot dropping onto the rock at a time, and shut the door firmly behind him. His eyes danced around the landscape the entire time, seemingly unblinking. "I've been here before, I think."

Dawn turned back to him. Somehow, she had managed to walk five meters away from the TARDIS already. "Oh yeah? How was it?"

He paced quickly towards her, his eyes still searching the horizon dangerously. "Ended up chained to a rock; almost eaten by sand piranhas."

Taking a hint from the horrified look on Dawn's face, the Doctor finally held his gaze on her wide eyes. "Probably won't happen today, though. No rocks to tie us up to."

Not surprisingly, the Doctor's words did little to calm the young teen. She made sure to stay closer to his side as they wandered off in a randomly selected direction. The sun's rays were starting to affect Dawn now that they were out in the open and walking, and sweat was breaking out on her forehead. The Doctr seemed completely oblivious to the heat, treading swiftly on without delay. As the second half hour came without any change in surroundings, Dawn slowed her pace. The Doctir spun around to face her a moment later, when he finally realized she had fallen behind.

"You okay?"

Dawn was practically panting for breath, her face red from both sunburn and heat. "Yeah-yeah. Just need a break for a minute."

The Doctor came back to stand beside her, looking around the area around them with furrowed eyebrows. While Dawn stood hunched over; practically panting for breath, the Doctor knelt down to the warm planet and laid a hand gently on the surface. As soon as his fingers made contact with the sand and hard rock, he leaned closer, bending his ear down to the ground. Dawn eyes him curiously as she caught her breath. "What is it?"

The Doctor's eyes were wide, flitting between the rock beside his head and the distant horizon. Suddenly, he jumped to his feet, pulling out his Sonic faster than Dawn could compute. "There's something coming. Something big."

If the Sonic's whirrs hadn't been dancing in their eardrums, a ghostly silence would've fallen after his mysterious words. Now it was Dawn's turn to glance around the desert, eyes growing wide with fear and anticipation. Her voice slowly returned to her as the Doctor knelt down again. "W-what's coming?"

"Don't know."

The Timelord leaned further to the rock beneath him. As an afterthought, it seemed, the Doctor muttered, "Hate not knowing."

Dawn turned away from him and looked out at the horizon onc more, eyes landing on a dark shadow approaching them. The shadow grew into two shadows. Then three. Then more. The Doctor was still leaned down to the earth (or 'Luceat Solas', to be precise), faced away from the oncomin hoard.

Slowly, he sat up on his haunches, staring at the vibrating ground in front of him. "Who are you? Where are you coming from?"

Dawn took this moment to tap the Doctor on the shoulder. Her brown eyes were stuck on the figures approaching them. "Ugh, I think we're about to find out."

The Doctor looked up at her with a raised eyebrow, then the shadows caught his attention. Without another word, he got to his feet and stood beside Dawn. The young girl saw a curious look come to his face then. Something in between worry and anger. Like a storm ready to be released if need be.

The first shadowed figure rose up in front of them; a horse-like creature carrying a woman covered in armor. To Dawn's dismay, she was carrying a long sword.

"Who are you?"

The woman's force held more authority than anything Dawn had ever heard. It was a president mixed with a principal with a bit of an angered Doctor thrown in. It was everything she had been taught to fear and respect.

The Doctor's stare held on the woman, taking her in and trying to study her within a few seconds. He replied simply, "Travellers. Who are you?"

The woman looked to the two figures that had arrived on either side of her. They had even more armor, were even bigger than she, and held a much more frightening array of weapons. Swiftly, she turned back to the Doctor. "You will tell us your names or you will be killed."

Panic flooded through Dawn's veins. Her heart was racing, breathing fast again, though the sun was forgotten by now. "This is the Doctor, and I'm Dawn."

The woman's eyebrows furrowed; lips pursed. "What does this word 'Dawn' mean?"

The Doctor nodded and looked at Dawn, keeping one eye on the group in front of the month. "The sun never sets, so they never have a dawn."

The woman held the sword threateningly out to the Doctor. He backed up slightly and held up a hand in weak protest. "Tell me what the word means."

The woman's strong voice sent shivers down the young teen's spine again. The Doctor answered quickly, "Dawn is what it's called when the sun rises. On her planet, Earth, the sun goes down and comes up again later. Sounds more complicated than it-"

"I understand."

The woman held the sword tightly up to the Doctor's chest. The Timelord held her glare evenly as strong. The woman turned suddenly to the companion on her left. "Bring them to the citadel. Our lord will want to question them, especially this one."

The woman's sword flew swiftly from the Doctor to Dawn. The young teen's heart skipped a beat. The Doctor's skipped two. Neither could even speak as the guards pulled them roughly onto their horse creatures and began stampeding off to where they had come from.


	24. The Eternal Sunlight (2)

The Eternal Sunlight (2)

At the start of their journey, Dawn risked a few glances to her angry, owlish companion, but after a growl from the guard behind her and three separate threats, she forced her eyes to stay forward. So on they trekked, across the barren wasteland that this planet seemed to be, for a time Dawn guessed to be five hours. In reality, it was about thirty minutes.

At the end of this thirty minutes, a great palace finally came into view. Dawn first thought it to be a mirage, and almost cast a panicked sideways look to the Doctor, but the large leader-woman's husky voice froze her. "Prisoners shall remain respectful and silent in the presence of our leader. Failure to comply with this decree shall be dealt with to the utmost degree of punishment."

"Yes, Ma'am."

The woman's sharp, wide eyes turned on the Doctor in an instant. The horse creatures all stopped in their tracks, their guards awaiting their leader's next move with something like excitement. Dawn closed her eyes and bent her head down. The Doctor's sarcasm was going to get them killed; she was sure of it.

"You dare jest?" After a moment of tension, the woman shook her head and faced forward once again. "You must be a fool."

The Doctor cocked his head to the side as the horses trotted towards the palace. "That's very possible."

The woman turned an eye on him again, but continued on without hesitation. Dawn felt the air return to her lungs and realized she had been holding her breath.

The palace seemed to grow as they approached it's massive entrance. The doors stood twice the height of the large woman, and at least thrice the size of Dawn. All columns were decorated intricately with spiraled designs in red paint. The doorways were all gilded.

After a sign from their leader, the guards humor off of their horses and roughly ushered the two time travellers to follow them. Dawn's eyes were glued to the enormous entrance as the woman began another lecture.

"The prisoners will enter one at a time, always escorted by a guard."

The Doctor shook his head. "Dawn is staying with me."

The woman raised an eyebrow, eyes wide. "I don't believe you have authority here. The Great Leader holds all of the power, and until he tells you otherwise, you shall obey our laws and customs without argument."

The Doctor merely glared at her in reply. Dawn could see the glint of fury dancing in his eyes. Her guard waved a hand at her to enter the building, and she quickly assured the Doctor, "I'll be fine. I'll see you later, eh?"

Though he had doubts flooding his mind, the Doctor replied with a small smile, "Of course."

Dawn returned the smile and followed the guard without hesitation. Whatever the leader woman said, and whatever problems they were about to face, they weren't going to stop smiling. They weren't going to give up or give in to hopelessness. So they grinned, even as Dawn walked into the large palace with shaking legs and sweaty hands.

The first room of the palace looked just like the lobby of any museum or government building. A desk stood near the front and high ceilings forced the eye upwards. It was a building made to look menacing and important. Silently, Dawn wondered if that was an example of their strength or a simple facade, built to hide their true weakness. A shove from behind urged her forward, into a large, glass elevator.

The guard to her left pressed a button and the lift rose, throwing Dawn off balance for a second as she adjusted to the fast, roller coaster-like movement. It wasn't quite like the typical business-class lifts back on Earth. More like a Tower of Terror.

As suddenly as it had started, the elevator came to a shuddering stop. Dawn leaned her weight slightly on the glass wall to right herself, then dropped her hand quickly as her eyes fell on the view outside. She was glad she had been preoccupied with the tricky gravity, because she could see all go the tiny, distant buildings of the kingdom and they made her Shea's spin and breath hitch. Heights: not Dawn's favorite thing.

Once again, the guards pushed Dawn forward, out of the open doors, and into a massive hall that nearly dwarfed the downstairs lobby. The walls were all made of a stone like marble, as were the floors and distant stairs. Golden decorations etched into the walls showed off the leader's wealth and importance. Dawn wondered if the people he led were treated half as well as he treated himself. Perhaps he was a nice king. Only time would tell.

At that insane, the guard beside her called out in a booming, ear splitting voice, "Permission to bring the prisoner to your Greatness?"

An even louder and more chilling bass came in reply. "Permission granted."

Dawn forced her feet shuffling forward as the guards beside her paced forward with straight backs and high chins. They were perfect little soldiers; it was like a ceremony. Perhaps it was one. All of a sudden, Dawn found herself falling onto her knees. She gasped as her knees collided with the impossibly hard floor, but she bit back any retort. This was not the place to get sassy with the authorities.

As her head turned up to face forward, the leader's great size loomed over her. His dressings were even more detailed and exhibits than the building he lived in. The fabrics was of a purple and green color, and I looked about nine times more expensive than what the guards wore. Just his crown, with its gold and rubied decorum, could probably buy an entire development on this wasteland of a planet. The thrown he stood in front of was also gold, but this had blue pebbles designs worked into it. The whole thing reeked of greed and corruption. Dawn could feel the working class blood inside of her boil just beneath the surface.

"You are the one who is called 'Dawn'."

It was a statement, not a question. This guy knew he was right. He had probably never been told he could be wrong. He paced in front of her, taking slow steps as if he were showing off his gilded sandals. Dawn wasn't impressed, if that's what he wanted.

"It was prophesied that the sun would only set on our kingdom at the time of great conflict and opposition in our land. Your presence has been noted as a harbinger of such events. Nobody in my kingdom should know what a Dawn is, for we have never needed one. If they knew the sun could rise, they would also know it could set. This opens the door to riots; chaos; fear. It is because of this that I must keep you from telling anyone your name."

Dawn shrugged her shoulders. "Alright; I won't tell anyone. I could have a codename."

The leader creased his eyebrows. "How could I possibly trust you?"

Dawn hid the tightness and terror she felt in her chest. "I just have one of those faces?"

"You must be executed. It is the only way."

Dawn's eyes expanded to their widest size. Shock shot through her, freezing her throat painfully. "B-but..."

The leader held up a hand. "At the time the sun is lowest tomorrow, you shall be given as a sacrifice to the gods, in hopes that chaos and sunset will not disturb our peaceful land."

The young teen blinked rapidly and gulped for much needed air. She had to think. She couldn't panic. Panicking would get her nowhere. With one last effort, her head flew up to face the Great Leader. "Chaos will come if you execute me. I have a friend - the Doctor. He won't let this happen."

The leader waved her off and gestured to the guards. As they dragged her off, he sat on his throne and casually stated, "Your friend shall be executed as well, then. I believe we've already had trouble with him once before. It will be good not to worry about him in the future."

Dawn felt tears stream down her face as she was pulled back into the elevator. She had somehow made it worse. She had managed to put the Doctor's life in the same danger as her own. Even as she was pushed roughly to the floor of a small prison cell, Dawn was cursing herself and searching desperately for an answer that was lost in her derailed train of thought.


	25. The Eternal Sunlight (3)

The Eternal Sunlight (3)

The hours passed slowly. Dawn sat weakly against the far wall of the cell, staring ceaselessly at the dust specks floating in the one strand of sunlight coming in from the window above her head. Every five minutes, (or was it ten minutes?), a guard would come and peer in at her, their spears and sneers making her heart leap every time. Being a prisoner on an alien planet isn't really something a small kid from London can get used to in under two hours.

As Dawn finally began to go stir crazy, the leader woman entered the small dungeon. The teen made a start as the enormous shadow danced on the wall, but the closest guard called out, "All bow before our commander!"

Like it was all completely natural, each ad every guard in sight bowed their heads. Some even kneeled, holding their swords awkwardly beside them after they clinked on the stone floor. Dawn merely glared at the woman as she approached her cell. "It is time."

A cold shiver ran down Dawnms spine. She was half awake when the guard unlocked her cell and pulled her out by her shoulders. Her eyes didn't really see anything again until she and the leader were at the top of he dungeon staircase. Her nerves steeled; jaw set. She wasn't going to go without a fight.

"You sir want to do this."

The woman rolled her eyes, shaking her head, but she didn't reply. Dawn bit her lip and glanced around their new surroundings. They were in the great entrance hall again, but it was nearly empty. She guessed the sun must be getting pretty low, then; they all must be asleep. Even the doors were all locked, compelling a guard forward at each new barrier as they made their way towards the bleak world outside.

They were one door away from the terrifying rock field outside when the Doctor's voice spun Dawn's head around. "Dawn!"

Her body tried to follow her turned head, but the guards holding her arms tightened their grip. "Doctor!"

"I'll get us out of this, Dawn. I swear."

The guard holding the Doctor's handcuffed arms spat, "Keep it quiet, you!"

Dawn was only slightly comforted by the presence of the Doctor. With the situation they are in, though, all of his Timelord tricks were useless and unavaulable. The feeling she identified as most prevalent in her pained chest was guilt. If she had only kept her mouth shut. If only she hadn't gotten them both into this...they could be flying off in the TARDIS right now, sailing straight for Jupiter or some place she's never beard of. Just her and the Doctor, laughing and smiling in his ancient, beautiful ship.

The daylight nearly blinded Dawn's dark-adjusted eyes. Automatically, her hand tried to raise to cover her face, but the guards kept her muscles held down firmly. She cried out at the painful twist of her arms, and then bit her lip to keep quiet. Slowly, she turned her head once more to her friend. The Doctor's squinted eyes were watching the leader woman like a hawk watching a mouse.

Without any announcement or warning, Dawn was wrenched up by two guards and practically thrown onto a stone slab. The sun's rays, coming from just above the horizon on her side of the stone, burned into her face. If not anything else, she was definitely going to have a sunburn from this excursion. As the armored guards tied her wrists and ankles to the rock, though, she remembered that she was in much greater danger than a red face.

The leader woman paced forward menacingly, teeth in a sneer, or so it seemed. She looks like a great big dog. Or perhaps a wolf. Her face was in shadow with the sun shining behind her. At least the sun was blocked by her massive size.

"This girl shall be sacrificed for the good of our people. The Great Leader shall join us presently and stop this omen at the heart. Her associate, the Doctor as he is called, shall be sacrificed next, to hope for a cure for all of our diseases and maladies."

The Doctor forced himself forward, gritting his teeth as the guards tried to pull him back. "I'm sorry, but if you want people saved and Suns to keep rising, why don't you just let us make that happen? Will killing us really help you at all?"

The woman's piecing eyes turned on him. "This is our land, and these are our beliefs. If you do not agree, that is fine, but we will not cater our culture to the likes of someone as disrespectful as you."

"I'm sorry; am I really the disrespectful one here?"

"You mock our traditions and have spoken back to us since the minute you arrived."

"While you threw us in prison and made us chat with the nice for a few hours. Who's really higher on the respect spectrum?"

The woman nodded to on of her guards, and a moment later he had punched the Doctor gruffly in the stomach, forcing the Timelord to his knees. Dawn heard his exclamation of pain and tried to turn her head, but she was utterly trapped still to the unyielding rock.

"All now before the Great Leader."

Thundering footsteps approached the scene, commanding attention. The large woman by the Doctor knelt before her superior with nothing less than awe. Meanwhile, the Great Leader's eyes scanned the people before him, landing on Dawn's prone form on the table. "It is time for the sacrifice."

Dawn's heart beat in her throat. This was actually happening. Her and the Doctor were really going to die out here on this barren wasteland. They had no their options; no hope. The teen felt tears stinging her eyes even as she closed them tightly.

"If you even touch her, I will make sure you will never see the light of day again. She is under my protection, and I will never stop protecting her."

The Doctor's voice was gravely and rough, laced with just a touch of emotion and sadness. His dark eyes cut through the Great Leader like a knife. The man turned away and went to Dawn with only slight hesitation. "Dawn shall not need come, for the sun will never set on Luceat Solas."

The man raised his arms, and Dawn finally opened her eyes, taking in the knife with wide and terrified eyes. Her breathing had practically stopped already, there was no need for all of this drama.

Just as the man was about to lower his knife on the girl's chest, and just as she closed her eyes; just as the Doctor screamed out her name and the leader woman raised her head in curiosity and triumph; it happened. The landscape's red rocks and orange sand faded into blue and black. The air became crisp and a chill swept through the atmosphere. The rays of light hid behind the distant hills, throwing their world into darkness. The sky became navy, dotted with white stars. For the first time in history, the sun had set on Luceat Solas.


	26. The Eternal Moonlight (1)

The Eternal Moonlight (1)

All breaths stayed frozen in their owner's throats. Not a sound disturbed the cool, darkening atmosphere. Dawn, from her position on the table, stared up at the sky in awe as stars slowly faded into view. She turned her head as much as she could inner bindings and found the Doctor's pale face, lit up by moonlight. His eye were wide and filled with a strange mixture of relief and dread.

The Great Leader, who was once so stoic and terrifying, was stuck still, mouth agape in horror, hands shaking. The knife clattered to the rocks below without anyone's noticing. Well, anyone who wasn't the Doctor or Dawn.

As for the guards, they had turned up as the shadows covered their hands, and now we're watching the moon unblinkingly. It was almost as if they expected it to attack. The woman leading them had even dropped into a stupor, frozen still and breathing sporadically. Dawn had never see a group of people so completely terrified by night.

"Pssst!"

The girl's head whipped back to the Doctor, who was slowly approaching her. A finger touched his lips, urging her to be silent as he maneuvered around the gawkers. Every thudding step he took sent shudders down Dawn's spine. Her eyes darted from him to the others frantically, mouth ready to call out his name if any of them stirred, but luckily, they were all too shocked to hear even a tree crashing, let alone soft boots against a rockface.

After what felt like an eternity, the Timelord reached the deadly rock where his human companion lay. His hands instantly went to her bindings, flying through the air as he undid the tight knots that held her down. As he undid her bindings, he whispered roughly, "Are you alright? I'm so sorry, Dawn."

The teen nodded as much as she could against the stone and cleared her throat. "I-I'm fine."

She tried I look around him to keep the guards in her sight, but he was hovering over her so much that it was impossible. When her right hand was free, he dashed to her feet and struggled through those bindings. The Geat Leader finally came back into Dawn's line of sight, still staring at the sky with wide, childlike eyes. The young girl sighed and leaned her head back as the Doctor finished untying her. She didn't even know she was free until his hands were pulling her up to a sitting position on the bench.

Her eyes opened again to find her friend scanning her for any injuries, eyes flitting from her head to her wrists without stopping anywhere. "Doctor, I'm fine."

The man didn't seem to hear her. Under his breath, he kept muttering one phrase, like a mantra. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Dawn placed a hand on his arm, holding him firmly. Finally, his eyes met hers and held their gaze. "Doctor, calm down. It's alright. Everything is fine."

The Doctor was panting for breath as he crouched in front of her, his eyes shining with tears. "I have a duty of care, Dawn. This should never have happened; you could have died!"

Dawn glanced anxiously over her shoulder, just as surprised as she was relieved that the guards were still entranced. When she turned back to the Timelord, he was practically hyperventilating. She patted the empty spot on the stone beside her. "Sit down."

Without argument, the Doctor slumped down onto the rockface, staring at his hands in his lap absently as he caught his breath. Dawn reached a hand over to take one of his, rubbing his thumb with hers in what she hoped was a calming matter. He turned to her with bleary eyes and the girl smiled softly. "I'm fine. You didn't do anything wrong, and nothing bad happened. Now; we have to get out of here. What are we going to do?"

The Doctor looked at her curiously, with one eyebrow slightly raised and his head cocked to the side. For a moment, Dawn wondered if he had heard her. Then he did something surprising. He turned and wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could, resting his head on her shoulders. "Thank you."

Dawn returned the hug slowly, letting herself smile and appreciate the moment fully. It wasn't often that the Doctor hugged like this; like a person clinging to a lifeline. The teen inquired, almost in a whisper, "For what?"

The Doctor pulled away from their embrace, his eyes focused and energized as always. "For bringing me back."

Without another second's delay, the Doctor jumped to his feet, jogging over to where the Great Leader stood gaping at the moon. Dawn followed slowly, blinking quickly to come back to the present.

Clasping his hands togther, the Timelord spun back to his companion. "Question one: why are they all still staying at the sky?"

Dawn replied unconvincingly, "Theeeey are really, really confused or scared?"

The Doctor shook his head, biting his bottom lip. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers in front of the leader's face, causing Dawn's heart to skip a beat. But as the girl jerked forward, she realized that the man hadn't stirred.

"Oi! Wakey, wakey!"

The Doctor tapped the leader on the shoulder hard, but still he didn't seem to hea him. Dawn's eyes widened. "They're frozen. Actually frozen."

The Doctor simply nodded in reply, looking over the Great Leader with an inquisitive eye. As his calculating gaze landed on the man's chest, he leaned forward. "Question two: if they're alive, and they have an organic system similar to a human's, based on how they perform sacrifices...why aren't they breathing?"

At this, Dawn sprinted to her friend's side, staring at the still chests of the guards and leaders. "D-do you happen to have an answer to those questions?"

The Doctor's eyes shifted slowly up the man's neck to a spot just below his hairline, around his temple. Softly, he whispered, "Question three...do they happen to have toupees on the planet Luceat Solas?"

Dawn inched closer to the Leader and, sure enough, the line diving his hair from his skin was quite clear. The Doctor's hands raised hesitantly towards the man's frozen face, and, to Dawn's immediate horror, his fingers pulled the skin off.

Beneath the surface of the man's face lay wires; millions and millions of wires and electrical adapters. He was a robot. An honest to God, 100% robot. Dawn couldn't help the small ounce of glee that coursed through her.

The happiness dissipated almost instantly, though, as the robot's head turned swiftly to face her. It's empty eyeballs bore into her own wide ones, sending another flurry of shivers down her spine. Still staring at her, the strange creature raised its hand to its face and stuck the false image of the Leader back into itself.

The Doctor grabbed Dawn's arm, pulling her back a few steps. The robot's body swiveled and approached them slowly. The Timelord glanced around anxiously, turning back to the robot ahead of him as the other guards came back to life, slowly following behind their leader. "Okay. Can't say I was expecting this. Ugh, when I say run..."

"RUN!"

The robots had begun sprinting towards them, their weapons out, so Dawn had done the one thing her time with the Doctor had definitely instilled in her; she had grabbed his hand and run away from the dangerous aliens ahead of them. As they dashed across the rock field, Dawn called out, "Where should we go?"

The Doctor threw a glance behind them and hurried his pace. "Anywhere but here."

Dawn checked their enemies' position, spurring herself forward as she saw that they were barely five meters behind them. Suddenly, the Doctor grabbed her arm again and pulled her to the side, where a hill lay slanting down. "Come on!"

Dawn felt the air escape her lungs as she and the Doctor rolled down the rocky slope, away from the robots that were still sprinting ahead to spot in the distance she thought was the horizon. They didn't halt as they ran over the edge and disappeared.

Dawn's eyes widened as she realized how close they had been to going off the cliff themselves. Breathing fast, she sat up beside the Doctor. "Thanks for, ugh, saving me again."

"You're incredibly accident prone today. I'd suggest you go back to the TARDIS, but-"

"Never gonna happen."

"Thought so."

Dawn got to her feet, wiping her hands on her pants before offering one to the grounded Timelord. "You alright?"

The Doctor stood with her assistance and checked himself over. "Fine. Now; let's go find out where those robots came from."

They set off in the direction they had come from, still dusting themselves off as they walked. From behind them, the Doctor could swear he heard metal climbing up the rock face.


	27. The Eternal Moonlight (2)

The Eternal Moonlight (2)

"Do you even know where we're going, Doctor?"

"Of course I know; I'm a Timelord. I practically have an internal compass."

"If you say, pigeon boy. Where are we, then?"

The Doctor stopped in his tracks, eyeing the landscape surrounding them. "Well, ugh, if we go that way-no wait...that way; we should end up back at the palace."

Dawn sank to the rough ground below, putting her head in her hands. "I'm starting to think there never even was a palace."

The Doctor's eyes widened, and his body went stiff. He stared at a spot in the distance, eyes glazed over. Dawn watched a fleck of sand slid across the shadowed rocks beside her. When she next looked up, she raised an eyebrow at the frozen Timelord above her. "Doctor? What is it?"

He spun around, eyes still wide. A new energy brought him to her instantly. "You're a genius. A proper genius! Have I ever told you that?"

Dawn let out a small laugh as she sat up, leaned on her hand. The Doctor's energy had been transferred to her, and her eye shone with excitement. "What did I say?"

The Doctor leaned down to her level. His pale, moonlit face and bright blue eyes contrasted sharply with the dark background of the rocks behind. "The palace doesn't exist!"

Dawn sighed, sinking back onto her heels. "You know I wasn't being serious, right?"

"In that case: never be serious again, Dawn. Your sarcasm may have just saved the day."

The Doctor dashed over to a more open plain beside the pile of rocks, craning his neck to look at the moon and stars. Dawn got to her feet, shaking her head. "I still don't understand. How can the palace not exist? We were inside it. We were imprisoned in it!"

The Doctor turned back to his companion, and came to her side, rubbing a hand over his mouth as he thought of an explanation. "There was a perception filter around the palace. It made it look real; sound real; taste real."

Dawn threw a confused glance in his direction, which he waved off. "I ate one of the grapes. Sorry; starving."

He spun away from her, look g at the sky once again. "Anyway, that's not important."

"A whole palace disguising itself isn't important?"

The Doctor shook his head, biting his bottom lip. "That was just a distraction. See: while we've been getting back here, and now talking about the perception filter, they've probably been doing more of...whatever it is they came here to do."

Slowly, he turned his neck side to side, eyes darting across the sky. Dawn followed his gaze to the moon, letting it wash over her face. In a small voice, she asked, "What is it that they came here to do?"

The Doctor sighed. "Not a clue. It has something to do with you, though. You; the sun; the moon. Whoever it is knew we'd arrive today. They knew the sun would set. How did they know?"

Dawn glanced around her, listening to the wind whipping up the dark layers of sand dunes. A small rock toppled over from the top of one of the piles. A shadow appeared over the fallen rock, but disappeared as suddenly as it had come. Unconsciously, Dawn sidestepped closer to the Doctor. "We can figure this all out in the TARDIS, right?"

The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows at her, bending down to hear her tiny voice better. "Possibly. Why? You never want to sit inside when there's an adventure going on."

Dawn gulped, raising a shaky finger to the rocks her eyes were trained on. "Y-you know those sand Piranha you were talking about earlier?"

"Yes."

"I...I think they're here."

The Doctor's head shot up instantly, turning swiftly to get a look at each direction they could go. More rocks seemed to be overturning. Dawn assured herself it was just her imagination, but the Doctor's frantic eyes told her brain a different story.

Firmly, the Timelord wrapped his hand around that of his companion's, pulling her backwards. "Let's get going, eh? Find out who turned out the lights, switch 'em back on; easy. Home by teatime."

Dawn's eyes scanned the ground in front of them even as they backed towards the more open path. Rocks were still flipping over; more shadows scurrying across the sand. "You always say that kind of thing when there's trouble."

"You know me too well."

One of the small creatures jumped then, luckily lit up by moonlight. Dawn and the Doctor spun around to avoid it, instantly grabbing each other's hands again and starting off as fast as they could. The sand and limited visibility made it difficult to run without skipping or tripping one another, but somehow they managed. The chirping and biting sounds faded from their ears as they began heaving for breath. Neither had any idea where they were or how far they had gone. Dawn would swear it had been five kilometers. The Doctor knew it to be less, but still would have sworn at least seven kilos.

"What...do we do...now?"

"Don't worry; I've got a plan."

Dawn shook her head. "That's another dangerous phrase."

The Doctor threw her a slightly hurt look, mouth falling open silently, before pursing his lips and bringing his hands to the sides of his mouth. Dawn's eyes widened. "What are you about to do?"

The Doctor lowered his fingers only a fraction and replied quickly, "Something you probably wouldn't approve of."

Dawn was just about to grab his arm when his voice called out from behind his hands, loud enough for the distant moon to hear. "Oi! Whoever's up there; controlling these robots; causing trouble: Come down here and face me!"

The echoes of his shouts died away slowly, ringing in Dawn's ears as she grimaced in apprehension. The Doctor's head turned up to the sky again, looking at the various stars and the one, enormous, luminous moon. To Dawn's horror, he called up once more, even more obnoxiously, "Come on! Don't you want to talk? No more henchmen. You and me and my friend here."

Nothing seemed to have been disturbed. The air still hung around them tightly, silent and brooding. The rocks sat stiff and unmovable against the waves of dark sand. The Doctor rolled his eyes, tossing his head to one side. Using his right hand, he dug into his jacket and pulled out his blue Sonic Screwdriver. Dawn's entire body stiffened as he waved it above his head and pressed the button, emitting its high-pitched whirring noise.

"Here; I'll make it easy for you. Track this signal. Bring us to you, if you want. We're flexible."

Dawn turned anxiously to the Doctor, who was still staring up at the sky, mouth working soundlessly. She wondered to herself why he was so eager to get to their ship so soon, but her train of thought was blocked by a sudden light field enveloping the Doctor and herself in its beams. She didn't have time to move or even raise her eyebrows before the light had blinded her completely, forcing her eyes closed and her mind to wonder what would come next.


	28. The Eternal Moonlight (3)

The Eternal Moonlight (3)

"Holding cells: activate. Guards, watch them closely please."

Dawn opened her eyes at the fshoom sound of an invisible cylinder rising around her, giving her only a meters width to move inside. The Doctor caught her eye from his own 'holding cell', nodding to her reassuringly as panic pushed her lungs down into her stomach.

The teen took the next few seconds to look around the room they had landed in; a typical spaceship, equipped fully with armed guards and complicated control panels. A large figure stood at the front window, their dark cloak obstructing the view slightly, like a black hole. Dawn's mouth fell open at the sight beyond the silhouette, eyes widening in shock.

Stars, more stars than she could ever have imagined, lay dancing and shining in the distance. It was like a picture from Star Wars. The nighttime sky never looked like this from the streets of London, that was sure.

In the back of her mind, Dawn heard the Doctor calling her name, but she felt almost frozen, as if in a trance. The darkness of the cloaked figure and the darkness of space, contrasted with the brilliance of the burning stars...her mind was fuzzy. Her eyes felt heavy. She felt herself swaying, but she couldn't steady herself. Again, she heard the Doctor call out to her, but another voice in her head compelled her to hold her gaze on the window.

"Dawn!"

The teen shook her head, the ringing in her ears fading softly away. The Doctor's eyes bored into her own, and she noticed he was standing at the very edge of his cell. Dawn cleared her throat and scratched her head casually. "Fine; fine."

When the Doctor's anxious eyes stayed trained on her, Dawn forced a smile. "Doctor, it's alright. Just looking outside."

"You've been looking outside for five minutes. Did you even hear me?"

Another wave of panic rose in the girl's chest, but she pushed it down enough to speak. "F-five minutes? That can't be right."

The Doctor spun to the cloaked figure, who was still in the same position in front of the window. "What did you do to her?"

The figure replied, without turning around, "We did nothing. Space called to her and she listened."

"If she is hurt in any way-"

"We do not wish to harm her."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "What was that with the sacrificial robots, then?"

"A soldier obeying his duties too well."

The Doctor closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Sorry; can you stop speaking in riddles please? A little clarity would be nice."

"All shall be made clear in time."

The Timelord sighed, slinking back into his holding cell. Dawn watched him with her mind reeling over the recent events, struggling to keep up. The cloaked figure's tone was so calm; so collected. It possessed a voice like a monk; soft, and slightly unsettling. The teen shuddered hust remembering it, and finally a good question popped into her head. "So you control them; but you stopped them just in time to save me. Why?"

The Doctor nodded to his companion, giving her a quick thumbs up before turning his fixed glare back on the creepy shadow. In reply to Dawn's inquiry, the soft voice crept through the air slowly, landing somewhere near the teen's abdomen.

"We did not wish to harm you; only keep you from the people of Luceat Solas. They cannot know the meaning of your name. They cannot know that the sun can come again. Not yet.

The Doctor paced to the corner of his holding cell again. "And when can they meet Dawn?"

The tone changed now, possessing something like anger beneath the facade of peace and calm. "When they are reminded of what they did to me. How I suffered under their leader's hand."

Dawn cautiously stepped back deeper into her cell. "W-what did they do to you?"

The voice rose in volume again, losing most of its calm. "They thought I could be cured. They ruined their planet in fear of me. They were too weak to kill me...too weak to do the right thing."

Dawn looked to the Doctor, feeling her teeth chattering. He glanced quickly from the man to her, then back to the man. The teen hadn't often seen him so nervous. This sight sent more shivers down her spine.

The cloak fell away from the man's frame, revealing obvious disfigurement in his arms and legs, even through the poor lighting. Dawn felt her back collide with the wall of her prison. She could almost feel what the man was about to say, though she couldn't tell how. For the moment, she called it premonition. In reality, it was too many horror films.

"They kept me from my true form for two hundred years. Now they will pay the price. The moon will shine eternally. The wolf shall have his night."

The figure turned suddenly, facing the two time travellers with his scarred face and animal-like teeth bared. It was as if he was mid-transformation, frozen in that painful combination of human and beast. His hair was long and matted, his cheekbones high; face bony. The arms and legs were too long for his small torso, and they seemed to bend at odd angles. Dawn brought a hand to her mouth and shut her eyes instantly. The Doctor leaned closer with a hint of a smile.

"Now we're getting somewhere."

The figure began walking down the steps towards them, its clawed, bare feet tapping against the metal eerily. Dawn opened her eyes just as the creature stopped, precisely in between her and the Doctor. Up close, the man seemed even more disfigured and threatening, but Dawn held her gaze on him nonetheless. Across the room, she saw the excitement in the Doctor's eyes. Softly, she shook her head, a small smile coming to her own face.

The man raised his crooked arm slowly, revealing a small, colorfully lighted device wrapped around his wrist. The Doctor eyed the contraption suspiciously, eyebrows furrowed darkly. His voice came hardly above a whisper. "What are you doing with that?"

As he pressed various buttons and switches, the wolflike man's mouth opened, revealing his gnarled teeth once again. "Their capital will be destroyed; and all of the filthy people in it will face the wolf they pushed away."

Dawn's fear dissipated as anger took its place. "Wait a minute; you said that was over two hundred years ago. These people might be a whole different generation."

"They will pay for what their descendents did. What their kind is capable of."

"They can't help who they are any more than you can."

The man approached the barrier of Dawn's cage suddenly, baring his sharp canines in front of her face. "Be careful, girl. I have been generous to you, but the wolf is rising in me."

The man turned away, pressing more buttons on his wrist device. Dawn felt tears stinging her eyes, but she forced them away, steeling her nerves and watching the strange creature closely.

With one final scream, like a howl, the man flicked a switch on the contraption around his arm and disappeared in a blaze of light. The sudden glow faded away just as quickly as it had come, leaving the Doctor's wide eyes in the place where Dawn had been watching the creature. He seemed to hold his breath as he asked sincerely, "Are you okay?"

Without blinking, Dawn replied fearfully, "That thing is going to kill them all."

The Doctor had no response. Silently, they both turned to the metal floor below them. Neither could tell whether they were imagining the screams echoing in their heads or not.


	29. The Eternal Moonlight (4)

The Eternal Moonlight (4)

Dawn watched the Doctor from the seated position on the floor she had acquired nearly ten minutes ago. Her head was still reeling and her eyes seemed glazed over, unable to focus on anything for more than a second. The Doctor, on the other hand, was busy setting various controls on his Sonic Screwdriver, struggling to keep it quiet and hidden from the guard standing by the door. His jacket was all he had to muffle the sound waves and block the view, and having only two hands meant only one could be used for the old Time Lord device. Needless to say, he wasn't getting very far.

When the fifteenth minute of their solitary imprisonment came, the Doctor stuffed the Sonic back into his pocket with a disgruntled sigh and paced around his cell, rubbing his hands on his face anxiously. Dawn blinked slowly and peered up at him, trying to catch his eye. When she finally did, she mouthed silently, 'What are we gonna do?'

His only response was a shrug of the shoulders and a quick shake of the head as he turned away again. Dawn went back to staring absentmindedly at the distant wall.

The next thing that brought her out of her reverie was the sudden Scottish brogue coming from the Doctor. It had been so quiet that his powerful voice was a shock to the system, and it took Dawn a moment to hear what he said.

"Do you know what your boss is? Do you know what he's capable of?"

The guard replied, in a low, monotone voice that was almost robotic, "Prisoners will remain silent."

"He's down there right now; people are going to get hurt."

The guard pushed himself away from the door, carrying his tall staff beside him at a perfect 90 degree angle. He leaned in towards the Doctor and, darkly, stated, "It is not my place to question my master."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Proper soldier, you are. You'll follow your commander anywhere; even if he takes you over burning coals."

At this, the man's cool demeanor dropped, his teeth gritting. Grabbing his staff with both hands, he raised it slightly and spat back, "You will stop speaking of my leader with such dishonor."

The Doctor smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes, and gestured towards the guard with an outstretched hand. "See; now you've walked yourself into a wall. What are you gonna do? I'm in here, and you won't let me out because, I'm guessing, your leader told you not to open this cage. Am I right?"

In her own cell, Dawn was becoming restless. She had gotten to her feet and was now watching the Doctor and the guard intermittently, eyes darting fearfully between them as they spoke. She couldn't figure out what exactly the Doctor's plan was, but she knew it couldn't be faultless. And, knowing the Doctor, it was going to be very faulty.

The guard shofted his weight, lifting his chin higher. "You underestimate me."

"Do I?"

The Doctor's challenge was met with the guard's hand aggresively hitting the button of the cell. The invisible shield fell away instantly, freeing and exposing the Doctor at the same time.

In a flurry of motion, the Doctor pulled out his Sonic and turned it on, flicking it towards Dawn's cell as it whirred and lit up. The teen reached a hand out and it went right through where the barrier had just been. In the back of her mind, she heard shoes scuffle against the floor and faint grunts of pain, but her conscious mind was stuck on the strange disappearance of the unseen barrier. Carefully, she stepped forward, then turned back to the Doctor. The image before her sobered her addled brain completely.

The guard had her friend pinned to the floor, pushing his staff forcefully into the Doctor's throat as he weakly fought back. The Sonic lay forgotten a few feet away.

A dark light came to Dawn's eyes as she gritted her teeth, readying herself for war. Her legs carried her in a bull-like rampage towards the guard, and, before either of them had realized she was running towards him, she had him tackled and rolled at least a meter away. With strength she didn't know she possessed, she held down the shocked man's shoulder and grabbed the Sonic, twirling it in her hand until her thumb was directly over the button. Suddenly, she let go of him and took a quick step back before pressing the button on the small device. The guard righted himself and tried to step forward, but his body crashed heavily onto the invisible wall. Dawn smirked grimly to herself as the man's eyes widened.

Meanwhile, the Doctor lay weakly on the floor, coughing and shaking his head to clear the black spots out of his vision. Dawn knelt beside him and, instantly losing her mad anger, softly whispered, "You alright?"

The Doctor nodded his head and coughed once more, feeling the young girl's hand brush against his back. "I'm...fine. Fine."

Slowly, he got to his feet. Dawn notes how red his face was and how he stumbled a step or two before gaining control of his balance. After clearing his throat, he gestured lazily towards the man who now stood glaring at them from the holding cell. "That was..." He turned sharply to Dawn, eyebrows furrowing. "How did you do that?"

Dawn shrugged, letting her gaze fall to the floor. She was suddenly very sleepy. "I don't know. Guess I'm stronger than I look."

They shared a quick smile before Dawn raise a hand to her head, grimacing. The Doctor called out to her, but he sounded very distant. Everything began fading again, the high noises filling her ears. She didn't even feel herself hit the floor as she fainted.

• • • • • • • •

The Doctor caught her head before it could hit the harsh, metal floor. "Dawn? Can you hear me?"

The furious Timelord turned up to face the guard, who was sitting on the floor rubbing his own head. "What's going on?"

The man opened his mouth to reply, but instead of words, a howl emitted from his vocal chords. Eyes wide, he gazed back at the Doctor in fear.

"Ok; think, Doctor, think. Dawn was lost staring at the night sky earlier; now she's super strong. The guard is howling. No, no, no...this isn't good."

He rested the girl's head on the floor slowly before glancing towards the window of the cockpit. "He isn't trying to kill them. He's turning them all into Werewolves!"


	30. The Eternal Moonlight (5)

The Eternal Moonlight (5)

The Doctor took the Sonic from Dawn's grasp and got to his feet, gazing at her sleeping form with unfocused, deeply thoughtful eyes. His head was a whir of confusion and disorientation, and his legs were shaking from both exhaustion and anxiety as he treaded to the front of the ship. He livked his lips and rubbed a hand over his jaw before blinking rapidly and forcing his brain to think. "Ok, Doctor. What are you going to do? How do we reverse the process and get the werewolf back to his ship?"

Lights and complicated controls danced in front of him, scrambling his tired brain waves even further. He felt his breath accelerating rapidly and shut his eyes, focusing only on one breath at a time. When he next looked down at the buttons, they seemed a little less daunting. His fingers glided over the levers and switches as if he had been trained for flying werwolf ships, and before he really knew what he was doing, five different systems had been processed by the computer. 'Self-destruct activated'.

"No, no, no!"

The Doctor's eyes widened, and he set into motion, pressing random buttons once again, until the beeping and flashing lights stopped. Taking another deep breath, he scratched his eyebrow, looking back at Dawn's still unconscious form. "It's a good thing you didn't see that."

With more care and precision, the Timelord turned back to the controls and worked his way into the GPS system. "Now we're getting somewhere."

With a few flicks of a finger, he set the coordinates of the ship for the ground on the planet below. As a final gesture of energy, he smacked the big, green button reading 'Autopilot' and smiled to himself. The computer's robotic voice read its new command to itself and began its descent.

The Doctor returned to Dawn's side, placing his hand softly on her neck to take her steadying pulse, then pulled her into his lap as he sat down. His thumb stroked her hair absentmindedly as he watched the view shift from space to clouds to buildings and trees. When the brakes flipped on, he looked down at his companion with a furrowed brow. "I would really appreciate it if you woke up right now. It'd save me a lot of anxiety. Probably a few heart attacks, too."

When the human didn't stir, the Doctor set her slowly back onto the floor and stood again, casting a quick glance to the guard, who was fast asleep in his cell. The ship came to an abrupt halt and the Doctor swayed on his feet, catching himself on a nearby wall. He spared another glance at Dawn. "I think I know how to stop him. You wouldn't approve, but I think it's the only way."

He spun back to the door and put his hand over the button to open it. "I'll be back soon."

As he exited back onto the moonlit plain of the planet, he added, to himself, "Hopefully".

He looked out over the empty field, his eyes falling on several collapsed human forms. He grit his teeth in anger and apprehension. His fists hung clenched by his sides.

"Here goes nothing."

Without another second's delay, he cupped his hands around his mouth, took a deep breath and called out in his best impression of a wolf howl. In the distance, his ears caught the sound of a soft reply, setting his nerves on edge. He called out once again, and heard another, closer response from beyond the horizon. His eyes darted around the shadows, half expecting something to jump out at him, but nothing came.

Carefully, he pulled out his Sonic and scanned the sky above, twirling the device high above his head. He swore he heard paw prints sprinting ever closer as the screwdriver whirred noisily. When it finally made a resounding 'beep', the Doctor shouted happily, "Got it!"

As he brought the device down and gazed at the numbers he had scanned for, his eye caught movement from just beyond the metal contraption. With sinking hearts, he focused on the mysterious shape ahead of him and widened his eyes.

The beast that he had had a civilized conversation with not half an hour before was staring at him with nothing but animalistic hunger. Its teeth bared, it was snarling at the Timelord without any mercy. The fur on its back was dirtied in places, matted hair sticking up every few inches or so. Its eyes, though, were the worst. Those yellow, glowing orbs held the Doctor frozen on the spot where he stood, unable to move a muscle as the beast approached ever so slowly. The Sonic lay forgotten in his hand. His once well thought out plan lay forgotten in the back of his mind.


	31. The Eternal Moonlight (6)

The Eternal Moonlight (6)

The creature's paw padded against the ground once more, edging ever closer to the frozen form of the Doctor. Every fiber of his being was telling him to run; to carry out his plan and get out of there. But the beast coming towards him bore its eyes into his own and forced his muscles to surrender. It was like a Siren song. He swore he could hear it in the back of his mind, reaching out.

 _'Come closer, Doctor. You have nothing to fear. You will be of the wolf, and there will be nothing but moonlight. It will shine eternally and we will rule this world together. All as one. Just stay there and let me approach.'_

The Doctor shook his head to clear it, but it was to no avail. Stammering, he struggled out a few words, "H-how are you doing this?"

 _'The wolf has already taken the people of this planet. Now it will take you, and your human companion.'_

The Doctor's face steeled. His own hand smacked the side of his face, whipping him strongly back into reality. The reality where a werewolf was merely two meters away from him, closer than the refuge of the ship. Lovely old reality.

"Right. Hasn't anyone ever told you? Never threaten the people close to me."

The Timelord spun on his heel and forced his legs into movement. He could practically feel the wolf's breath on his neck as he sprinted for dear life.

 _'Come back, Doctor. There's no reason to fear the rise of the wolf.'_

The Doctor closed his eyes tightly and shook his head, losing his footing slightly as the wolf's cryptic words entered his telepathic mind. The door was close; so close. He could make it. He knew he could make it.

A quick glance back told the Doctor the werewolf was preparing to pounce, already lifting its front paws off of the dusty ground. Instantly, the Timelord dropped to the ground, rolling forward as the wolf flew above, crashing through the air where he had been standing mere milliseconds before. The Doctor took a second to catch his shocked breath before standing and making a dash for the open door of the ship. H could hear the wolf raising itself back to its feet, preparing to make one final dash to its victory.

The Doctor ran past Dawn and the guard, who were still completely unconscious on the floor, and eyed the controls madly. "Where is it, where is it, where is it?"

His eye landed on a wide blue button, and his palm smacked against it. He closed his eyes for a moment before setting the coordinates for their new flight pattern. Behind him, the wolf entered the vast space.

"Welcome back to the bridge, captain. Or are you the captain? You looked a bit different before. A bit uglier."

The wolf's teeth bared, but the Doctor detected a malicious smile. _'Jokes will not save you, Doctor. You're out of options. You have no way out. The wolf will reign and you will be glad to join us.'_

The Doctor leaned his hands against the console as he looked at the werewolf with indifference. "I think we both know what's really going to happen."

The wolf growled, then turned its head swiftly to face Dawn. The smile returned to its face. #'Yes, we do know what's going to happen.'

The Doctor gritted his teeth, taking a step towards the wolf and his friend. Worst case scenario mode: activated. It was alright; he had a plan for this...he did have a plan for this, right? He couldn't remember it at the moment.

His mouth moved soundlessly for a moment as the wolf's teeth neared Dawn's prone body. ' _Just one nip and she will be one of wolfkind permanently. Can you risk that, Doctor?'_

The Doctor made to reply, but stopped just as his mouth opened. Why would the wolf threaten him with biting Dawn if she were turning into a wolf anyway? What good would that do?

Then, realization dawned on the Timelord. His eyes widened slightly, a smile playing at his lips. In a casual tone, he replied, "Go on then; bite her. See if I care."

The wolf glanced at him, then turned back to the young girl in front of him. _'With pleasure.'_

But the wolf stopped before it reached her. Turning slowly, it looked up at the Doctor with glistening eyes. Instantly, it darkened its yellow eyes once more, but the Doctor didn't forget the nervous look it had held just a second before.

' _Are you sure?'_

The Doctor allowed his smirk to be seen this time, folding his arms across his chest. "Definitely."

The wolf growled, shaking its head. ' _You are too clever for me, Doctor. You know disrupting the process of one human will risk them all.'_

The Doctor tapped his head with one finger. "Can't beat me at a thinking game. Whatever you used to transform the humans when you changed has to rely on them all being the same. This basic technology you have here can't work with different results; it would get frazzled."

The wolf's claws scratched against the metal floor as it neared the Doctor. All of its rows of teeth could be seen now, dripping with saliva and malice. The Doctor stepped back slowly, stopping only when his leg hit the Console, trapping him within the confines of the cockpit. Inside, his hearts were racing as fast as his terrified brainwaves. Outside, his eyes pierced into those of the wolf, watching its every move.

' _You are not human, though, Doctor. I do not need you unblemished for my plan to take hold.'_

The Doctor gulped loudly, feeling his right hand shake uncontrollably even as it held onto the Control deck. The wolf was going to tear him apart if he were even slightly wrong about his random button mashing before. He felt his breath quicken even more dramatically, if that were possible.

 _'It was fun playing this game with you, Doctor. But now I think I will begin my new reign as Emperor of this vile planet. Or perhaps I'll just let it burn.'_

The Doctor swallowed hard, glancing out the window as quickly as he could. A fraction of light was beginning to stream in from the nearby sun. With gritted teeth, he spun his head back to face the creature that was now preparing to charge, pawing at the ground expectantly.

 _'Goodbye, Doctor. I wish I could've fit you into my ranks, but you would make a terrible liability.'_

The wolf's body seemed to grow in front of him, its teeth edging ever closer to the Doctor's wide eyes. Even with his special Timelord-brain, it took a moment to realize that the werewolf was charging, ready to kill.

As the wolf jumped high into the air, the Doctor to the ground, landing roughly into a seated position below the wolf, who he was shocked to find immobilized in the air above him.

The beams of light from the sun reached around the werewolf, entombing him in a bright orb. The wolf howled loudly, painfully, almost gratefully. The Doctor watched the scene with unblinking eyes from his position on the floor.

The rays gradually faded, along with the howls of the wolf. As the ship exited the path of the sun, the wolf seemed to lose all of its remaining energy, until it lay frozen, unmoving, in the air. For a second, it stayed like that; the Doctor transfixed on the wolf above him, who seemed to be levitating beyond the laws of physics. Then, without warning, the werewolf crashed down onto the Doctor, complete deadweight.

His breath was taken away by the initial hit, and then he was simply pinned to the floor by the enormous beast. His hearts still hadn't calmed at all, which just made him have to breath harder, and his brain was still trying to process every strange occurrence it had witnessed in the past hour. The Doctor closed his eyes and didn't even try to fight off the exhaustion as he fell unconscious, still panting for breath.

Across the room, Dawn was slowly awakening, though the guard remained asleep. She shook her head to clear it and, when she did, she Jumped to her feet with wide eyes, which darted around the room incessantly. "Doctor? Doctor; I had a really weird dream. Are you in here, Doc-"

The teen's words died in her mouth as she noticed the werewolf, lying dead on top of a figure with the same old boots and black pants the Doctor always seemed to be wearing. "Doctor."

She sighed even as she dashed towards the Console, finding the rest of the pinned Timelord and the wolf, whose eyes were closed and whose body wasn't moving. Dawn put her arms around the animal and struggled to push it, but it barely nudged. With frantic eyes, she looked back at the guard, who was holding his head, still locked in the cell. "Will you help me?"

"Sure. Can you get me out of here, first?"

Dawn angrily pushed a nearby button labeled **Holding Cell** and heard the whoosh of the shield disappearing. A second later, the man's hands were beside hers, pushing the beast off of the Doctor and onto the metal floor beside him. The guard instantly stood and went to the back of the ship, leaning against the wall, holding his head again.

Dawn shifted over to be closer to the Doctor's head, looking him over wearily. Softly, she shook his shoulder. He opened his eyes almost instantly. The teen smiled down at him, noting the dark circles beneath his eyes.

"You need to stop getting yourself pinned under things."

The Doctor closed his eyes again, smiling faintly. "Sorry about that. Had a werewolf to take care of."

"Right. Good job with that, by the way."

The smile grew. "Thanks. I'm just glad you're alright. You had me worried for a second there."

Dawn grinned back, but it turned into a yawn halfway through. The Doctor looked up at her with his eyebrows furrowed. "You need to rest."

"So do you. This trip's been exhausting. Even more than usual."

"Maybe we're just getting old."

Dawn chuckled. "Speak for yourself; I'm still only seventeen. How old are you, anyway?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I stopped counting. Somewhere over two thousand. Arguably four and a half billion."

"What?"

The Doctor met her shocked eyes. "It was a bad day."

The girl shook her head, then yawned again and turned back to the Doctor. "Can you move over a bit? Maybe we can just lie here for a while."

The Doctor did as he was told and replied with closed eyes, "I don't think I'm ever going to move again."

They lay side by side, halfway under the Console, for another couple minutes before either of them spoke. When they did, it was Dawn, with lowered eyebrows, that interrupted the silence. "One question."

The Doctor lazily grunted, "What?"

"If he was a werewolf, why didn't he change back into a human when the sun killed him? That's how it always is in the films; they always find a naked dead guy lying in the street where the werewolf was."

The Doctor opened his eyes at this. "I suppose he was too far gone. The wolf had consumed him. Any humanness he had was lost."

"You just made that up, didn't you?"

"Of course."

Dawn smiled at his answer, then began a whole new laugh. The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"It's a good thing he didn't become human. You barely let me touch your hand, and we've been friends for a while. Imagine a naked body of a stranger falling on top of you."

The Doctor closed his eyes again, letting out a sigh. "This is why I don't usually take teenagers. TARDIS: remind me never to take a child again."

"The TARDIS isn't here. We're gonna have to find her later, remember?"

"Right."

"And set the planet right again."

"Mmhmm."

"And find a place for that guard to work at, since I guess he's unemployed now. I think he was hypnotized before, too. He seems nice."

"Dawn?"

"Yeah?"

"Sleep."

"Alright."

And so they slept under the Console, gaining much needed energy, for hours. It was the longest sleep the Doctor had any recollection of having since he had regenerated, and it was glorious.


	32. Author Note

Author's Note

Hey guys!

Sorry for making you think I posted a new chapter when it's just an Author's Note and I'm reeeally sorry but I won't be able to update this week. I'm veeery busy and have finals and a bunch of other stuff but, hey, good news: after this week, that'll all be over and I'll probably be able to write two chapters a week! So basically, I'm sorry I can't update today, but I will be posting next week and the time in between updates with become significantly shorter. Thanks for reading and being so awesome!


	33. Missy's Plea (1)

Missy's Plea

Dawn rapped her knuckles on the countertop, biting her lip as her eyes darted around. The clock had just ticked to eight O'Clock, but no customers or co-workers remained. It had been a quiet day, dull and slow, which was a blessing and a curse for the young teen. On the one hand, she could relax freely and browse her social media dash practically all day. On the other hand, though, more time meant thinking, and silent peace meant undisturbed thinking. She hadn't seen the Doctor in over two weeks, right after he had dropped her off at home after the werewolf fiasco, and she was beginning to feel worry edge into her brain. What if he was hurt? What if something happened? What if he never came back? What if this was all a dream?

As Dawn eyed the dusty tables, a napkin lifted in a sudden gust of wind. Then another. Then the menus, perfectly stacked beside the girl, started toppling over, one by one, onto the distant floor below. Dawn jumped down to pick them up, and as she did, she swore she heard a familiar sound drifting into the room. She couldn't place where exactly it was, but it sounded close, and as she got back to her feet, she saw the faded outline of the TARDIS taking shape, coming in and out of focus as it wheezed its usual breathy landing.

When the ship faded out three more times and faded in just as many, a puzzled look came to Dawn's face, creasing her eyebrows. Softly, she stepped around the counter and squinted at the spot the TARDIS was struggling to land, trying to find any impediment. When she found nothing but an empty square of floor, the teen called out loudly, "Doctor?"

Nothing changed. The TARDIS continued its strange, stumped landing. The coffee shop had grown accustomed to the ship's windy surrounding atmosphere, so that now all the napkins not held down lay stuck on the floor. A few of the menus lay scattered behind the cash register. Dawn took another step towards the box. "You alright?"

Finally, the TARDIS began to materialize, its blue wood stretching a smile across Dawn's face. When it finished its landing with a final thud, Dawn grabbed her purse off of the counter and dashed into the old time machine. "I was starting to get worried; I haven't seen you in a while. Where've you-been?"

The teen froze as her gaze landed on a woman in a Victorian jacket, whose eyes were icicles that pierced through her, stopping her heart for a beat or two. Though she couldn't tell why, Dawn was afraid-no-this feeling was dread. Her stomach felt like a pit of molasses, her eyes wide and sparkling. Call it premonition, but she knew somehow that this woman was not good news.

"Where's the Doctor?"

The woman looked down at the controls, typing faster than the best temp in Chiswick as she completely ignored Dawn. With raised eyebrows, the woman replied, "Is that the greeting nowadays? I thought it was 'hello', but perhaps that's just me."

The woman peered across the control deck with pursed lips. For a second, Dawn eyed her curiously, then shook her head to clear it, and closed her eyes for a second to blink back into her surroundings. When she felt more sure of herself, she muttered quickly, "I'm sorry; hello. May I ask, who you are? Where's the Doctor?"

The woman turned back to the controls in all seriousness, typing away again. "The Doctor is in trouble."

Dawn felt her heart drop. "I-is he okay? What happened?"

"All in good time...Dawn is it?"

The way the woman said her name made Dawn feel queasy, but she couldn't place why. Taking a deep breath, she approached the control deck and looked over the buttons. It seemed wrong to be here without him, and her mind was worrying furiously.

For a few minutes, the two women stood in complete silence, Dawn fiddling with various levers and staring at her hands, the older woman beside her typing into the screen and steering the time machine with a greater calm than the Doctor was capable of. When Dawn finally decided she had to be able to trust the only other person who knew where she was, she cautiously asked, in a voice smaller than she normally spoke in, "How do you know the Doctor?"

The woman smirked, raising a mysterious eyebrow. "The Doctor and I go back further than your civilization."

Dawn widened her eyes in sarcastic amazement, pursing her lips again. After another moment's silence, she asked, without looking up, "Have you got a name?"

"You can call me Missy."

Dawn looked up from her hands for the first time in minutes with creased eyebrows. "What kind of trouble is the Doctor in? Is he alright?"

Missy rolled her eyes, punching in one last figure with finesse. "Do all humans ask this many questions, or is that just you?"

Dawn eyed her companion suspiciously. "When I find a stranger who's acting really cryptic and telling me my friend is in danger; yeah, I ask questions."

Missy whistled, looking Dawn over. "You're even more bold than Clara was."

"Clara...the Doctor's mentioned her before. Who was she?"

Missy suddenly edged around the Console and put her hands on the young teenager's shoulders, guiding her towards the door. "Hush now; time to get to work."

The doors opened on their own and Missy instantly shoved Dawn out the doors, bringing the teen to her knees in the rockhard surface of whatever planet she had flown them to. Dawn hissed as her leg scraped against the dark rocks beneath her and stood slowly, turning back to the TARDIS with an open mouth. Missy stood in the doorway, holding both doors ready to be closed as soon as she wished.

"Sorry; bad idea to have both me and the Doctor here. It's why I needed you. Have fun!"

"Wait; Missy!"

The Timelady shut the doors without another word, leaving Dawn standing alone on an alien planet with nothing but a small crossbody purse with an expired credit card and a few crumpled pounds. With a sinking, shaking heart, Dawn turned around and eyed the enormous entrance to a building that seemed to have been built into a volcano. It was like Smaug's version of the Shire, with lava brewing in the cracks around Dawn's feet and a mountain looming above the columns of the structure.

Dawn gulped loudly, holding onto her bag with both hands. "Don't worry, Doctor. I'm on my way."


	34. Missy's Plea (2)

Missy's Plea (2)

The building in front of Dawn grew substantially as she treaded forward, forcing the young teen into the shadows to stay out of the view of its yellow glowing windows, which looked more like a giant panther's eyes from the ground. Spires rose up beside two gilded doors, spiraling into the dark and smoky heavens and out of sight. In front of the enormous entrance stood two guards, both the height of three buildings stacked on top of each other, made of a type of stone or ceramic that Dawn had never seen before. In their hands, at ninety degree angles to their stiff and unyielding bodies, rested their spear-like weapons. Something told Dawn the real things were much deadlier than the stonework implied.

As she approached, sounds of hammers on metal and stern voices of guards caught her ear, shrinking Dawn even deeper into the darkness, clinging to the rocky wall and crouching low behind a mercifully laid pile of stones that hid her from the front doors perfectly. It was slow going, and she could hear her heart hammering in her chest every step of the way, but eventually she found herself knelt just a few boulders away from the building, into which she noticed a secret passageway, perfectly out of sight of the guards standing sentry by the gilded doors, and perfectly in shadow beneath the right side wall. Almost too perfectly. For a second, Dawn hesitated. But when one of the armed sentries bellied an echoing laugh and shivers ran up and down Dawn's spine, the teen made a run for it, jumping over the boulder in front of her with agility she never knew she possessed and sprinting to the wall of the staircase, stopping only when she was in shadow again, and only for a moment in order to catch her breath.

"They always go the most obvious way, don't they?"

Missy shook her head in exasperation as her long, bony fingers glided along her tablet. Dawn's heaving breaths and wide eyes shone from the device like a deer caught in front of the headlights of a truck. The Time Lady scoffed. "The Doctor really needs to find some more creative friends, let me tell you."

With a last flourish of her hand, a tony, dark smile came to Missy's face. "That should make things a bit more interesting."

Dawn eyed the dark staircase warily. Directly to the left of it stood the outer wall of the building, or castle, or prison, or wherever she had somehow landed herself. Directly to the right of the narrow, slightly crumbling staircase stood a chasm, dark as a black hole and seemingly infinite in its proportions. The teen gulped hard, urging her shaky, rubbery leg to propel her onto the first step. Some pebbles crunched beneath her foot as it came roughly down onto the stones. One tiny rock even fell off the side, dropping incessantly into the darkness. Dawn peered over the edge as far as she would dare, but never heard a satisfying 'thud' or even a disgruntled 'ouch' as it made its way furthur and furthur down. Again, she took a deep breath and focused back on the steps in front of her, which loomed almost as large a threat as the building itself from her position.

As she lifted her foot off of the ground for the fifth time and came down heavily onto the most ruined and crumbled step, Dawn muttered to herself, "They couldn't have added a railing or two here?"

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, the step directly in front of her fell down into the chasm, exposing the spot where it had been like a missing tooth. Dawn held back her initial reflex to scream, and opted for a panicked gasp instead. Her heart beat wildly against her ribs, just after it had finally slowed down to normal for once.

"Ok, no more snide comments."

Softly, the teen raised her leg up and over the missing step and half jumped, half stepped up to the next stable one. Sweat beaded her forehead as she continued on, rushing up the last few and crouching in the shadows that lay against a nearby tower for relief when she was done. Silently, sue closed her eyes and wondered what this insane place had left in store for her, and how on - whatever planet this was, because surely it wasn't Earth - she was going to find the Doctor and break him out.

Missy set the tablet on the Console of the TARDIS and dropped into the pilot chair, which she had managed to convince the old Gallifreyan machine to move closer to the Control Deck. Popcorn popped out of one of the panels, fully cooked and laid in a plastic bowl, as the dark haired woman pressed a few buttons with her usual finesse. Without any care in the world, Missy rested her booted feet on the Console beside the tablet and watched Dawn sit in utter terror beside the tower. As she settled, she tossed a kernel of popcorn into the air and caught in her mouth, clapping her hands in a pattern the tablet recognized as a command. Words flowed across the screen rapidly, as did Missy's gaze. When she swallowed, she leaned up in her seat and eyed the new message with a sinister grin. "Yes, I think that'll do perfectly for our young companion, don't you?"


	35. Missy's Plea (3)

Missy's Plea (3)

Within a few seconds, Dawn felt an equal measure of fear and determination drive her forward, crouched against the wall, towards a far door. Shadows danced eerily over the stones that formed the rectangular building in front of Dawn from the two lamps on either side of the tall, wooden doors. Not without haste, the young teen approached the mysterious section of the castle, ignoring the sounds reaching up from the lower ground far below her. She couldn't worry about that now. She had to get to the door and get inside.

The doors in front of Dawn were suddenly cast open, slamming into the wall as they bounced off of the stonework. Some pebbles fell to the bridge floor as the strong wood knocked them off of the wall.

From the entrance emerged two guards, both enormous and clad in armor; both carrying intensely sharp sticks in their burly hands. Dawn gulped, frozen, and clung to the wall where she was crouched, but it was to no avail. There was nothing to hide behind, no shadow to lerk inside. She was going to be seen.

Almost immediately, the guard closest to her pointed their weapon her way, forcing her back deeper into the rockwall. Dawn's breath came in short gasps as her eyes bore into the point of the stick, head feeling light.

"Take her to the dungeon."

Dawn didn't have any time to react before she was dragged by the arm to a standing position and forcefully pushed in the way of the tower she had hid in the shadow of previously. The only positive thing she could think of was that at least she was more likely to find the Doctor in the dungeons, but even this hope failed to lift her spirits. She went with the guard hesitantly down the steps, further into the dark and the cold.

Missy smiled to herself as she watched the Doctor's companion descend the staircase into the underground prisons, tossing the now empty bowl of popcorn across the room. It crashed to the floor with a loud bang that echoed throughout the space.

As Missy typed away on her tablet again, she loudly proclaimed, "Oh no, Doctor. Looks like you're friend's gotten into a spot of trouble, I'm afraid."

She set her device carefully back onto the Console, then turned a mysterious eye on the staircase behind her, which led to the lower levels of the TARDIS. A groan came from the floor below, and the Time Lady went towards it with something like excitement written on her face.

The Doctor lay beneath the ground floor of the TARDIS, holding his head with one hand as he cautiously blinked his eyes, taking in his surroundings with furrowed eyebrows and a sharp frown. The first thing he saw was a pair of familiar boots coming down the steps one at a time, then a hand gliding over the railing. The Doctor grunted again as Missy came into view, and set his face in his hands.

"Finally, you're awake. I was starting to think I'd given you the wrong sedative."

The Doctor lowered his hands from his face and sat upright. "What are you doing? What is this?"

Missy flitted towards him, a distracted look resting in her eyes. "You got yourself a new companion without telling me first. I just have to make sure she's up to the job."

The Doctor jumped to his feet, allowing his darkest Oncoming Storm look to penetrate his old enemy's bright eyes. "Where is she? Missy, tell me, what did you do to her?"

Missy rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips and pacing in a semicircle around the Timelord. "Now, now; no need to be so touchy. She's fine; inside a virtual simulator. I'm in complete control."

The Doctor didn't move at all as Missy stepped around him, but kept his eyes fixed on her with total focus. "Somehow that doesn't comfort me."

"Relax; she's almost finished; and with flying colors, too. She just has one final test."

"What's that?"

A smirk played at Missy's lips. "Look at your hand."

The Doctor tore his gaze from Missy instantly and found a square red patch discoloring the skin on his left hand. "Tissue sample...what-?"

He froze as realization took hold, and blinked rapidly to calm the fury and the panic that was rising within him. "Missy..."

He spoke softly, almost calmly. But a storm lay just beneath the surface. Venom coursed through the simple words he found. "Stop this. Whatever you're doing, end it now. Dawn is seventeen and she's probably terrified already."

Missy chuckled. "Oh, I think she's definitely terrified, Doctor. Look at that heart rate!"

The Doctor clenched his fist in front of him, staring at the shadowed floor unblinkingly. His nostrils flared as he breathed in and out. Missy watched him for a moment, then sprinted up the steps two by two and scooped up her tablet. "Now this'll be interesting."

As soon as the Doctor shook out of his daze, he ran up to the first level and peered over Missy's shoulder at the screen in her hands. The Time Lady clicked a few buttons, and Dawn's face appeared, eyes wide and teeth chattering. Her arms were still held by the guards, but they soon let go as she was shoved into the small, confined dungeon. Mysterious moonlight filtered in from the few windows that lay in the right side wall, filling her cell with bluish light. A figure lay unmoving directly in the center of the room, where the light sone brightest.

Missy tilted her head up a bit so she could address the Doctor more directly, but her eyes stayed locked onto the screen, where Dawn stood shaking by the door of the prison. "I made you a clone with the tissue sample I got from your hand. As birthday presents go, I think you owe me a few hundred years worth."

The Doctor eyes the dark figure on the ground with wide eyes. "Missy, what is the final test?"

"I want to see what she'd do if something happened to you."

"Why?"

Missy shrugged. "You always want to be ready for the worst. Isn't that their worst case scenario? Trapped without their precious Doctor?"

The Doctor grabbed the tablet forcefully out if Missy's hands, turning away from her and stepping away from the Console by which she sat. "She's already been through that; multiple times. And she's not your toy, to just play with. She's a living, breathing, human being."

The Doctor glanced back at his old friend, shaking his head. "You wouldn't understand. You don't care about anyone but yourself."

His hearts began to ache as Dawn slowly stepped towards his clone's prone body. "Don't worry, Dawn. I'm right here."

He cast one last glare towards Missy before sitting on the second step of the ascending staircase with the tablet in his shaking hands.


	36. Missy's Plea (4)

Missy's Plea (4)

Dawn heard the ancient metal and wood clap shut as the guard locked the door behind her. The screeching sound sent shivers down her spine, but she turned her head just slightly to see the locked walls she was now enclosed in. The guard was already gone, probably laughing with his friends or starting a game of cards. Dawn almost pitied him. He'd probably be here for the rest of his life, or at least until retirement. He'd never see the stars and all the planets that lay out there. Then Dawn remembered where she was and realized that she, too, may be trapped here forever, and without the luxuries of cards and friends and going home at five, or whenever his shift ended.

She turned away from the dusty, cobwebbed walls and let her eyes fall on the patch of moonlight filtering in from outside. Her heart leapt to her throat and beat out of time as she took in the body of the Doctor, laying on his side, facing away from her. His dark coat draped over his still form, wrinkled and dishevelled. The darkness of his clothing contrasted sharply with the paleness of the outstretched hand Dawn could see and the bright, curly hair that danced around his head. The young teen took a step forward with a small smile. "Hey, Doctor. Guess I found you."

Dawn crouched down and put her hand on the man's shoulder. After a few light shakes, her eyebrows creased and her lips parted in confusion. "Doctor? You've never been one to nap...you okay?"

Feeling her breath quicken in apprehension, Dawn stepped over the Doctor and knelt on his other side, so that she could now see his face, even paler than his hand. His eyes remained closed, even as she shook his shoulder and called his name again.

After repeating this action a few more times, the teen took his hand in both of her own. Her eyes darted frantically up and down her friend's body, big and shining in the moonlight. The sinking feeling of helplessness settled deep in her abdomen. It reached up into her throat and cut off almost any breath and every attempt at speaking. Softly, she whispered, "I finally found you. Now what am I supposed to do?"

But the Timelord still hadn't moved, and hardly even looked alive. Dawn sat huddled beside him, pushing back her fear and doubt so that she could think a bit more clearly, but to no avail. Every exit seemed hopeless; every idea clouded in distraction whenever the Doctor's breath hitched or even a muscle moved. The young teenager from inner London was out of her depth, and, for once, she wasn't sure she could get herself out.

The Doctor hovered over Missy with venom laced in his gritted teeth; the tablet lying forgotten on the floor by the staircase. It had taken only about a minute for the Time Lord to be filled with rage he usually saved for the Daleks and Cybermen, and he now stood over his oldest friend and enemy without any glint of mercy in his icy eyes. "Missy; stop this or I will. Let her go and never take her from me again."

"I didn't know she was one of yours, Doctor; have you been busy since we last met?"

The Doctor shifted his weight onto his other foot, biting his bottom lip to keep himself from lashing out all of his pent up fury. After a slow, deep breath, he continued softly, "Do not joke with me right now. Dawn may not be my daughter, but she is in my care. I have to get her home safely."

Missy rolled her eyes. "It's not like I'm hurting her; she'll be fine. Maybe a bit shaken up-"

"Call it off. Right now; please."

A tiny smile crooked Missy's lips. "Begging has never worked on me, Doctor, you know that."

The Doctor stepped away, rubbing a hand over his mouth as his mind worked furiously. Quickly, he turned back around to face the Time Lady. "Why are you even doing this?"

"I need to know she can take care of you!"

The whole Console Room seemed to freeze with the echoes of Missy's last sentiment. The Doctor's owlish gaze watched his old friend silently, but the Time Lady avoided meeting his eyes, opting instead to glare at the roundels on the wall. Her weight shifted awkwardly from one foot to another in rapid succession. The Doctor could've sworn she had never looked so uncomfortable.

In a softer tone, without any of the hidden malice it had held just moments before, the Doctor asked, "Why do you care about that?"

Missy finally brought her eyes up to his unblinking stare. A smile worked its way into her lips. "Can't let my oldest enemy get killed, now can I?"

The Doctor watched her for another moment, as she went back to the Console and took the tablet back into her hands. "Alright, I'll let your little girl go. I guess she's capable of the job."

"What job?"

"Watching over you."

The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't need a babysitter!"

Missy pursed her lips and didn't look up from the screen. "How many times have you regenerated in the past, oh, two thousand years? You go through bodies like The Librarian goes through books; and you know what she was like."

"Point taken."

Missy's fingers flit across the tablet, and then her blue eyes found the Doctor's again. As she dropped the device back onto the Console, she explained, "She'll be transported right here within the next day."

The Time Lady stood and put her hand on her wrist, but the Doctor grabbed her arm tightly. "Wait! Within the next day? She could be dead by then! That, or think I'm dead."

"Oh, your clone _will_ be dead soon. Forgot to mention."

"Why can't you just get her now?"

Missy's smirk stretched across her face, eyes squinting and brightening madly. "Oh, Doctor, I _am_ still a villain; even if I do want to keep you safe."

She clicked a few more buttons on her Vortex Manipulator and then gestured to the tablet sitting on the Console. "You can keep that."

With that, the Mistress disapparated, leaving the Doctor stunned with only the small tablet to tell him how Dawn was doing. His thoughts were racing wildly, but the only one that he could hold onto was this: _Dawn will definitely need an ice cream when she gets back._


	37. Missy's Plea (5)

Missy's Plea (5)

Dawn sniffed loudly and rubbed her wet nose into her already dirty sleeve, keeping both of her hands wrapped tightly around the Doctor's limp hand. He looked so fragile, sleeping on the hard stones, his pale face shining even whiter in the glimmer of moonlight. Dawn scooted closer to him, listening with a small cringe to the raspy breaths emitting his thin lips. "Doctor?"

Her voice didn't sound like her own; not here; not now. It was the voice of a child. It reminded Dawn of when she lost her mum in the shop when she was five. Was she really just as helpless now as she was then?

Knitting her eyebrows and wiping her eyes, the teen lifted herself onto her knees and looked over the small cell, and the Doctor, once more. Absentmindedly, she nodded her head and allowed a tiny smile onto her face. "Ok. No Doctor. No key. It's up to me, now. I can do this."

A flicker of light coming from the dark nearby corridor caught her eye, and after a second, her eyes adjusted enough for her to see. A guard was sat on a rickety old chair, head lolling, keys glowing on the belt wrapped around his waist, lit up by the light of a small candle on the wall above the table.

The candle danced before Dawn's eyes, drawing her in, mesmerizing her senses. Her eyes widened as a plan took hold and, as crazy and improbable as it seemed to be, the teen took it as an opportunity, and scrambled out of the purse that hung loosely over her shoulder; a bag she had very nearly forgotten about.

With a smile, Dawn pulled out a ten pound note and glanced at the Doctor, who was still unconscious and still breathing harshly. "Don't worry, Doctor. I'll get us out of here."

Without another second's delay, the young human ripped off a rectangle of the now useless paper and rolled it tightly into a cylinder. Then, with just as rash movements as she did before, she ripped a few scraps off of the note and rolled them into small balls, about the size of small gumballs.

With her new innovations, Dawn clambered to the wall of the cell, standing as close to the metal bars as possible. Slowly, she brought her cylindrical note up to her mouth and placed one of the small spheres at the tip. After this, she hesitated, surveying the space in between herself and the candle. In reality, it was about a meter away, possibly two at most. But to a teen who relied on this working in order to get home and help her friend with whatever it was that was wrong with him, it might as well have been a football field.

Dawn sighed, suppressing all of her doubt to the back of her mind. She blew into the device she had fashioned with all her might.

The ball of paper hit the wall beside the candle with a disappointing _plop_ , and Dawn almost had a heart attack when the guard shifted slightly. The teen was frozen for more than a few seconds, and it was only when the man was resting comfortably again, with his shoulders rising and falling slowly as he snored, that Dawn dared to breath and refill her small ten-pound-note gun.

This time, she was careful where she aimed the paper cylinder, and only took a deep breath and blew when she had rechecked herself three times. The ball flew through the air and went directly above the flame of the candle, just missing it by millimeters. Dawn grunted in frustration, but loaded almost instantly and fired exactly the same way as she had before, if only slightly lower.

It was a direct hit. The paper flew right into the flame, catching it and spreading its fire as the ball landed on the table. Smoke began rising from the table, and Dawn couldn't hold back the smirk that quirked her lip as she yelled, "Sir! _Sir_! There's a fire!"

The guard jumped out of his seat before Dawn even knew he was awake, his hand flying to the keys hanging on his belt. The teen heard him mutter a few choice words as she made her way over to the Doctor, still completely out of it.

The door opened suddenly with a screech and banged against the stony wall. Smoke was now filtering into the tiny cell, clouding the air and filling Dawn's eyes with dust and tears. The guard's voice came like a booming thunder in a rainstorm. "Get outta there, girl!"

"Help me with him!"

Large hands came from the darkness, a dark silhouette lit around the edges with the light of the growing fire. Dawn grabbed the Doctor's legs as the guard lifted the Timelord's upper half and, together, they carried him out of the smoky prison cell and up the steps to the open air of the bridge. Dawn let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding as they set her friend down on the stones. The guard called out, "Stay here!" just before he dashed back into the lower dungeon.

The young girl nearly grinned in pride and relief that her plan had actually worked, but that was when things took a turn for the worse. The Doctor's breaths, which had already been uneven and shaky, had stopped altogether, and, when Dawn frantically felt around his neck for his double pulse, or, even, just a pulse, there was none to be found. "No, no, no."

Her words became a mantra as tears filled her eyes, mostly because of the smoke, because the disbelief of this whole situation was deeper than her every emotion. She knew her throat hurt, and she knew there was a loud ringing in her ears, but beyond that, she was completely dumbstruck. The sky was black, besides the moon, and the parts that weren't pitch dark were filled with messy, brown and gray smoke and ash. She couldn't see anything above the short wall of the bridge, and could hardly make out the door to the dungeon, a small square of yellow light in the distance.

Her hands seemed to be vibrating, moving of their own accord over her friend's unmoving body, flying from his dusty, albeit pale, face to his unkempt hair, down to his smoky, tattered jacket. It wasn't until Dawn began shaking the Doctor's shoulders, urging him to wake up, to stop this, to fix this, that Dawn realized she had begun crying. Sobbing, even. Crying like she hadn't in over a decade. Smoke everywhere. Her best friend lying breathless in front of her. Throat hardly working. Lightheadedness clouding her brain, as if the smoke were inside her skull, making everything hard to see; hard to feel; hard to think.

There was a blinding white light, forcing Dawn to shut her eyes tightly, and then...nothing. The ringing faded away. The smoke cleared from around her nostrils. She knew she was still crying, and she knew a weight in her chest still hung heavy, but it was different. She was inside; somewhere safe, she knew it. But still she didn't dare open her eyes; didn't dare risk awakening to that nightmare again.

And then she heard footsteps, and shuffling. And then she felt two arms wrap around her, enclosing her in a warm embrace. A hand rested against the back of her head, fingers stroking through her hair softly. And the she heard something she never thought she'd hear again. She heard the double heartbeat of a Timelord.


	38. Missy's Plea (6)

**Hi! Thank you so much for all of the amazing reviews! They really make my day, so honestly, thank you so much. Here's a short little chapter for you guys! I hope you enjoy it!**

Missy's Plea (6)

Dawn's head shot up, mouth opening in a heavy gasp. The Doctor's eyes met hers. Eyes she didn't think she'd ever see open again. Eyes that seemed glossed over; staring right at her, but also looking somewhere else entirely at the same time.

The teen sat frozen still, barely daring to breath, as if this was only a fragile illusion that could blow away at any second; a construct if the smoke and ash that possibly still hovered around her. Skepticism sat in the forefront of her mind, making her doubt the whole strange world around her. Was that the Console, groaning out its usual flurry of noise and beeps, or was it the fire crackling and climbing up the steps? Was the man crouched down in front of her her best friend, with his usual wild hair and thick eyebrows, or was it just another guard, waiting to take her away and lock her in a different cell.

But the hand holding softly onto her head felt real. The fingers holding onto her own shaking digits felt comforting. The wide, owlish eyes that pierced into her own seemed kind and guilty, characteristics of the Doctor that Dawn never mentioned to him.

As quickly as she could, the teen dove over the Doctor, nearly upending him, and threw her hands over his shoulders. He was real; he had to be. She could feel the velvet of his jacket beneath her fingers. She could hear the relief in his voice as he called out her name. She could feel the tears falling down her cheeks like rivers rushing to the sea.

For a moment, they just sat there, huddled on the floor of the TARDIS, in front of the doorway, clinging onto each other as if clinging to dear life. When they finally broke apart, they merely stared at each other, Dawn's eyes wide, mouth curving into a frown.

"I thought you were dead."

The Doctor mirrored his companion's dark look, furrowing his eyebrows. "Missy made a clone of me. She was trying to test you."

Dawn shook her head. "Who is Missy?"

"Someone I hope you never meet again."

The Doctor got to his feet slowly and held out his hand. Dawn raised an eyebrow at him. "Where are we going?"

"I got you something."

Dawn followed the Doctor to the far side of the Console, where he lifted a hatch and pulled out two ice cream cones; one vanilla with fudge and sprinkled and one that was a strange purple color. She was handed the vanilla, but eyed the Doctor's curiously. "What flavor is that?"

"It's Flaa Berry, from the planet Centuron. The flavor changes every time, so you never know what you're going to get."

Dawn licked her ice cream, smiling broadly when the fudge reached her taste buds. "This is the best ice cream I've ever had. How's yours?"

The Doctor's lips were pursed together tightly, eyes scrunched up. After a short pause, he swallowed deeply, then coughed. "Not good. Not good at all."

Dawn couldn't stop herself from laughing at the disgruntled Timelord, who put the purple cone back into the container it had been sitting in under the Console. The teen licked her own ice cream happily once more, noticing the Doctor staring at her with a strange, small smile. With a grin, Dawn asked, "What?"

The Doctor shook his head slightly, but kept his unblinking stare. When the girl gave him another questioning eyebrow, he looked down at the Console and fiddled with some controls. "That was...that was amazing, what you did in there. I saw the whole thing. Missy let me watch, but I couldn't intervene. You're a genius, Dawn."

Dawn smiled at the floor, allowing herself to look back to the events of earlier for the first time. She closed her eyes tightly when the pale, unmoving figure of the Doctor entered her mind. With her free hand, she covered her eyes, cursing her silly brain.

The Doctor's hand came to rest on her arm, his thumb massaging her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Dawn nodded, bringing her hand down and forcing the smile back onto her face. "I'm fine; just a bit tired after today."

She licked her ice cream again, but the Doctor wasn't giving up. "It'll take some time to get back to normal. I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't want this to happen. And you should never have gone through that. Never. You should be home; with your family and your life, not being put in danger out here with me."

Now it was the Doctor's turn to put his face in his hands, sinking onto the second step of the nearby staircase. Dawn came beside him instantly.

"Hey, this is not your fault; don't you dare blame yourself. And you're the only reason why I could handle myself earlier. I would never have gotten out of that cell if I hadn't known you. I love travelling with you, Doctor. I was only afraid because I thought I'd lost you."

The Doctor picked his head up slowly, turning his bleary eyes on the young girl next to him. "I never deserve you; my friends."

He pulled her into one last, reassuring hug, which she returned with the hand not still holding the ice cream. "We wouldn't care about losing you if you didn't deserve it, daft old man."

The Doctor's eyes widened at that last title, but he let it go as his forehead lowered gently onto Dawn's shoulder. After a second or two in their awkward one handed embrace, Dawn muttered quietly, "Thanks for the ice cream...and not being dead."

The Doctor chuckled, though he understood how serious she was, and tightened his grip on her just slightly. His amazing, impossible, goofy girl. What had he gotten himself into?


	39. Rocky Ground (1)

Rocky Ground (1)

Dawn practically sprinted into the TARDIS after her next 8 O'Clock shift, pulling her hair back and turning her frown into a smile as she came to a stop beside the Doctor. He was already eyeing the monitor, the shine of adventure glinting in his pupils, while his hands danced over the controls. The teen leaned a hand on the Console as she watched his fluid movements over his ship. "Have you already picked a trip for us?"

The Doctor nodded without looking away from the screen. "I think it's a good one."

Dawn leaned the rest of her torso over the deck, careful not to flip any switched, but relaxed enough to keep a wide grin on her face. "Oh yeah? Vampire aliens? A Beatles concert? Mountains of gold and diamonds?"

"Something even better."

Dawn quirked an eyebrow, standing and shifting out of the way as the Doctor leaned down to press some switches and turn a few dials. The young adventurer bit her bottom lip, wracking her brain over all of the possibilities, which were, as she discovered, endless. Excitement was rising steadily in her, forcing out the memory of rude customers and crying children yanking on their parent's hand.

"Where are we going, then?"

The Doctor rose back to his full height and finally looked at Dawn. His eyes were shining with energy, not unlike a five year-olds' at an amusement park. "Do you remember when we first met, you said you had a rock collection?"

The teen nodded, thinking back with a smile on how their first encounter had gone. She recalled a small green man and a lot of confusion and fear, but could remember not much else. Funny thing, memory; you forget the things you want to remember forever and remember the things you'd rather forget.

Blinking out of her thoughts, Dawn noticed the Doctor standing just beside the door, his hand waiting restlessly on the handle. When he caught her eye, his lips rose in a small smile. "You lead the way."

Dawn walked in three strides to the door, heart beating faster than normal. This was always her favorite part, beyond the Doctor and the impossible adventures they always found. The whole thing was really her favorite part, really.

The Doctor pulled open the door, and the light came flooding in, blinding the smiling girl for a moment. As her eyes adjusted and her shoes tread softly onto the ground below, the expansive sight before her compelled her jaw nearly to her chest. Mountains, some as high as her eyes could see and some just small hills, created a jagged and unpredictable horizon line. Some of the spires on the enormous features reminded Dawn of Van Gogh's famous 'Starry Night' painting, their tendrils rising into the bright blue sky like a sea serpent. In front of the mountains lay canyons, as diverse in depth as the hills were in height. It was like looking at the Grand Canyon and the Himalayas all at once.

The TARDIS doors squeaked shut. Dawn hardly noticed the Doctor come to stand beside her. "What do you think?"

The human's eyes darted around the landscape, which consisted almost entirely of rocks, some as white as a pearl, and some as black as dark matter. Most lay somewhere in between, creating a strange mirage of gray haziness, blurring the lines between distant stones. The closer pebbles were easily distinguishable, though, and showed all of the contrasts between layers of the planet's crust.

"It's amazing."

The Doctor smiled to himself, gazing out at the crevices and bouldered hills with a sense of pride. "If you think this is amazing, just wait a few minutes."

Dawn forced her eyes away from the mysterious scene to give her friend a puzzled look. "Why? What happens then?"

The Doctor's only response was a silent smile, which his companion willingly returned, though with a nagging curiosity lingering in the back of her mind.

"You there! Hello!"

The time travellers' attention was instantly diverted to a small, elderly man with white whiskers, jogging across the rugged terrain towards them. A playful grin danced across his face, making him look slightly like an out-of-costume Santa Clause. "Hello there! I'm Fian, a groundskeeper here. I must insist you find a Quake Center immediately, as the next is supposed to come in, oh," the man spared a quick glance to his watch, on which Dawn noted a spinning picture of a pebble and some strange symbols she assumed were numbers. "Two minutes! Honestly, this planet is furious these days. Anyhow, I must be off! Find a Quake Center and stay safe!"

With that, the man tottered off, disappearing into one of the numerous canyons. Dawn turned to the Doctor with another raised eyebrow. "What was that all about?"

The Doctor had gone more serious, if only slightly, spinning a circle around himself, looking around wildly. "I thought we'd have more time; sorry. I meant to land ten minutes before a Quake. There!"

He pointed suddenly towards a pile of stones, reading a symbol similar to the one on the man's watch. "We can make it, eh Dawn?"

The teen eyes the rugged terrain ahead of them with a grimace, but gave the Doctor a confident smile. "Of course we can."

Together, they sprinted off, jumping over small divots in the ground and running around the outskirts of the deep canyon. Dawn felt her heart beating harshly against her ribs now, both in excitement and exertion and in fear, for one wrong step out here could mean a bad injury, or even disaster.

Somehow, they found themselves beside the rock face, which Dawn now saw read 'Quake Center', panting for breath but grinning like mad. The teen bent over in exhaustion, but the Doctor quickly grabbed her shoulders, standing her up straight again. The alarmed young girl widened her eyes at him. "What?"

He was looking at a spot just five meters from where they stood, where one tall, flat rock lay directly next to a shorter one. "Watch this."

A shudder went through the ground, knocking an unprepared Dawn off balance. The Doctor caught her before she fell, smiling to himself oddly as Dawn regained her footing. The human followed his still trained gaze back to the two flat rocks, where she found them scraping against each other roughly. The taller plate fell to only a few millimeters above the shorter, which had risen almost to meet its companion in height. The teen's mouth fell open before the quake had even ended. "Is that where the ear-whatever quake started?"

The Doctor gave her a knowing smile. "I thought you'd enjoy it here."

Dawn laughed, taking a moment to let it all sink in, before turning back to the Doctor. "Have I ever told you how much I love travelling with you?"

The Timelord looked out at the planet before him, his chest feeling lighter than it had in days; years even. For all he knew, today would end up just as insanely and troubling as it usually did, but for now, he was going to smile. He had made Dawn happy again, even after everything with Missy; all of the pain and fear and exhaustion. Maybe someday he'd forgive himself for all that she had gone through for him, but until that day, he would take making her smile.


	40. Rocky Ground (2)

Rocky Ground (2)

The landscape, with its hills and valleys, its twists and its turns, proved to be a tiring trek, even for two well-exercised time travellers. After a half hour's walk, their pace had slowed considerably, and both young human and biologically superior Timelord were holding onto the walls for support. The path they were following loosely had brought them into a cylindrical barrel. The walls sparkled with white, sparkling diamonds, made of a material Dawn couldn't even comprehend. The teen didn't care. Seeing it was enough.

"Look at this one, Dawn!"

She followed the Doctor to a spot on the wall, where a large rock glistened in the dark, just out of reach of the nearest star's beams. The colors twisted around each other, curling red lines with blue and orange. The whole spectrum of the rainbow danced along the rock's smooth surface, like a natural strobe light.

"It's amazing."

The Doctor threw her a grin before jumping back onto the path, eyes turned upward to the night sky-like white dots on the ceiling of the cylinder. His legs waddled along the uneven path like a distracted three-year old's, making Dawn stop and watch him for a moment in sheer amusement. When he finally looked back at her, walking even more unsteadily backwards, he asked expectantly, "Are you coming?"

The human dashed to catch up with him, feeling an odd shudder rush beneath her feet as they clashed against the ground. She saw the Doctor begin to pitch backwards as she came beside him, compelling her to grab his outstretched hand before he could be upended, and pulled him back onto his feet. "Let's walk forward, eh? Lots of rocks to trip on in here."

But the Timelord's eyes had taken on that look that Dawn knew so well by now, that said he had discovered trouble. "I didn't trip over anything. I think it was another-"

His words were cut off by a violent shudder that shook the entire cylindrical diamond palace, generating screams and shouts from a few of the visitors around them. Parents clutched their children close to their chests, or grabbed their hands tightly with their own, and rushed for the exit, where the daylight had become a blinding sfar haven. The Doctor and Dawn clung to the wall as people darted past them, bottlenecking at the two openings of the cave. One nearby park worker called from a security hatch beside them, "Get outta there, you two!"

They followed the order without hesitance, the Doctor glancing around apprehensively as Dawn squeezed herself out of the tiny door first. When they reached the outside world, they continued to sprint away from the rock structure, only stopping when they were sure they were out of the danger zone.

Almost immediately after the chaos had stopped, a new kind of insanity began. Furious humanoids rounded on the poor park worker, demanding answers; asking questions. A few stood off to the side, comforting their screaming children. Dawn grabbed onto the Doctor's hand absentmindedly as the noise and the crowd grew. At this, the Timelord glanced to his companion, and then pulled out a piece of paper from his inside pocket, striding towards the crowd in three steps. A man was currently standing over the park worker, his face glowing red.

"Shouldn't the diamond cave be closed when a quake is coming?"

The park worker stammered fearfully, "Well, you see, the quakes are usually scheduled. I don't know what that was, but it was no quake. Came an hour early."

The man retorted, "Well then what was it?"

"I-I don't know-"

"What's the point of you here, then?"

The Doctor pushed into the center of the crowd, letting Dawn's hand go as he held the square of paper above him. "Excuse me! If I may, I'd like to ask this man some questions."

The park worker turned with wide eyes to the Doctor. "Who are you, then?"

The Doctor brought the paper down to eye level for the man to read. "Geological surveyor? Sir, I don't know anything you don't about this; I just take care of maintenance."

"Nonsense! Follow me."

The Doctor placed the paper carefully back into his pocket and led the man back out of the throng of people. He and Dawn led him to a quiet place where a wide, squared boulder sat like a bench. "Why don't you sit down and we'll ask you some questions."

The man followed the Doctor's instructions, but shook his head. "I really don't think I can be any help to you, sir."

Dawn crossed her arms as her friend sat beside the stranger. "Have any of these quakes happened off-schedule before?"

The man took off his hat and scratched his head. "Just in the past few days. It never used to 'appen. Twenty years I' been here; smooth as this 'ere rock. Now I'm nearin' retirement and nature goes loopy."

The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows. "An earthquake happening without explanation...this is sounding very familiar."

"Doctor?"

The Doctor turned up to Dawn, whose wide brown eyes were cast at the ground, mouth open slightly. "What is it?"

The girl turned her face up suddenly, fear written across her features. "Volcanoes; they cause earthquakes sometimes, don't they?"

The Doctor's eyes widened even more than his companion's. "Dawn, you really are a genius."

The teen shifted towards the two men. "Can this genius join you on that rock?"

The Doctor jumped to his feet, clapping the park worker on the shoulder until he stood, too. Together, they helped Dawn up onto the boulder, and the three climbed as high as they could without slipping.

Rivers of lava flowed just a few meters away from their rock, following a winding path through the jagged, rough terrain as it travelled. The Doctor had fallen silent, staring at the burning orange liquid in something like awe. Dawn looked from the lava and back up to him rapidly. "Doctor, what do we do?"

The Timelord remained frozen, his mouth agape. Dawn stepped carefully closer to him. "What do we do?"

The Doctor snapped out of his daze suddenly. His voice came quietly. "The valleys…the lava is going to flow into the valleys. How did we not know about the volcano? How could I be so stupid?"

Dawn called out, louder than she meant, "Don't beat yourself up about it now! There are people down there, Doctor; how can we get them out?"

The Doctor spun on the spot, taking in the crying children; the yelling parents; the people running away from the strange fiery rivers; the lava running swiftly through the beautifully carved landscape; the shouts of his companion; the gray smoke billowing out of one of the distant hills. He had no idea what to do, and it was making his hearts race and his head spin, forcing him to sit down on the slab of stone, which was growing ever warmer. A ringing blocked his ears, which he covered tightly with his hands. He could feel Dawn holding onto his shoulders as he pressed his head into his bent knees. He couldn't hear her calling his name.

"Doctor? Doctor, look at me."

Dawn turned away from her friend, glancing around at the chaos surrounding their trio. The park worker was muttering something to himself beside her, and the Doctor was losing a battle against whatever had scattered his mind so completely. The teen sighed deeply, remembering faintly what a nice day it had been; how many wonders they'd witnessed on the rocky planet. With new determination, Dawn looked down at the Doctor's small form. Her voice came to her, clear and definite. "It's time to go save people, Doctor."


	41. Rocky Ground (3)

Rocky Ground (3)

The Doctor picked his head up from his arms, feeling the ringing in his ears fade back into the distant shouts and boiling lava around him. A hand was outstretched in front of him from up above; Dawn's hand. He turned his gaze to the face behind the small gesture and found two unblinking brown eyes piercing into his own. The young girl from London's jaw was set, hair blowing in the ash-filled breeze behind her. The Timelord grabbed her hand with his own and pulled himself to his feet before he even weighed the consequences. His mood was over. Dawn was right; it was time to save people.

The teen gave him a cheeky smile that crinkled her eyes just slightly. "Glad to have you back, Doctor."

He returned her grin with a small simper of his own, looking at the boulder beneath him to gather his footing. "You wouldn't happen to have a plan, would you?"

Dawn's expression dampened, her eyes turning away from him. "Not exactly. But I do have a place to begin."

"That's good enough for me. Usually I operate on less than that."

The companions threw each other one last maniacal smile before the park worker beside them shouted out loudly, "Can we please get off of this rock now?!"

The Doctor and Dawn dropped their shared smirk instantly, getting to work as the action music practically played in their heads; a fast-paced tune usually reserved for superheroes trying to outrun an army of lasers and evil animal-human hybrids.

Their eyes scanned the land around them, finding only one path without an obscene amount of lava surrounding it. At the same time, they turned back to the park worker and called, "Come over here!" Then they shared another knowing look that fell somewhere between pride and fondness.

Not without haste, Dawn sprinted down the boulder, earning a distressed, "Careful!" from the Doctor and a gaping mouth from the other man. When she reached the bottom unscathed, she gave them a smirk with a glint of cockiness in her eye. "What's taking you two so long?"

The Doctor sent the park worker next, cringing as the man held onto his hand for support. Dawn took the man's other hand and helped him to the ground, relieving the Doctor of his hand-holding duties. The Timelord gave her a grateful smile.

Whilst the Doctor lowered himself and climbed off of the boulder, Dawn spun in a circle around herself, watching the lava flow into the cracks in the ground just a meter or two from where she was standing. Her eyebrows raised. "Ugh, Doctor?"

Something grabbed her - the Doctor's hand - and suddenly she was being swiftly led down the curvy path that the lava had formed, avoiding the fiery liquid lapping onto the brown rocks beside the red rivers. The park worker huffed behind them, keeping up as well as he could, though he had to admit, he was much out of practice with running and avoiding magma .

The Doctor stopped abruptly, holding both of Dawn's shoulders to slow down her momentum as it carried her past him. She, in turn, grabbed the park worker's shirt in one hand to stop him. He bent down instantly to catch his breath as the time traveller's released their respective holds and gazed at the path in front of them with wide eyes. A skinny stream of lava lay directly in front of them like the border of a secret base. The only way to go was backwards; back to the boulder that was also surrounded.

"Doctor...we're trapped. We're completely trapped."

The Timelord livked his dry lips, struggling to work out both a plan and some comforting words at the same time. He came up short on both accounts. "Dawn...we're not completely trapped."

The girl's head spun to face him. "Yes; yes we are. This is us, completely trapped."

The Doctor leaned down to Dawn's eye level, resting both of his hands on her shoulders firmly. His eyes bore into hers, glistening in the red light of the lava edging ever closer. "Listen to me: we're going to get out of this. I have an idea...admittedly, it's not one of my best, but it'll do."

He took a step back, letting his hands drop to his sides. Dawn watched him approach her again through teary eyes, shaking her head as she realized what he was about to do. "No, Doctor, I can't do it."

"Of course you can. Besides; I'm doing most of the work here."

The Doctor bent his knees and picked up the teen, one hand holding her knees and one holding her back. Dawn fought him all the way. "What about you? How will you get over?"

"I'll find a way."

"What if there's more lava over there? Or what if I hit my head or something?"

The Doctor closed his eyes for a second. When he spoke again, his voice was gruff and shaky. "I know. I know...but this is our only option right now."

With new determination, the Timelord carried his human companion to the lava border, watching the boiling, bubbling surface for a moment, and then bent down slightly.

"No, no, no!"

The Doctor released Dawn, tossing her over the thin red river, his hearts pounding in his chest. When the girl came crashing down on the other side, and he saw her form getting quickly to her feet, he let his breath fall from his lips. Dawn came as close as she could to the lava, squinting through the growing smoke. "There's less lava over here. You better hurry, though. The smoke is getting pretty thick and the cracks are growing."

The Doctor turned to the park worker, who was frozen in fear, shaking, muttering phrases to himself. The Timelord clapped him on the shoulder roughly, leaning close so that the man could hear him over the rushing lava and distant screams. "Take a running start and then jump over the lava as high and far as you can."

The man shook his head feverishly, earning him another clap on the shoulder. "You can do it; just hurry up, please."

The park worker's jelly-like legs carried him back a few steps, but it was with the glint of courage in his eye that he dashed forward and pushed himself off of the ground, clearing the lava by a few millimeters. Dawn helped him to his feet as the Doctor took position.

A high surge of lava gurgled suddenly behind the Doctor, raising itself like an oddly shaped sculpture. He could feel the intense heat of it on his back and neck, like a tiger creeping behind him. More lava rose beside him. He felt time fall into slow motion, with the walls of lava closing in like a gang of bullies in a circle around him. As he forced his legs forward, he heard Dawn shrieked out, "Run, Doctor!". The lava walls were rising, leaving only a small hole for him to jump through, where Dawn stood stock still, watching him with an open mouth and wide, terrified eyes.

With a cry of fear and valor, the Doctor pushed off the ground and steered his body through the tiny door left between the walls of fire. The flames danced just beside his face and jacket, threatening but not pouncing; growling but not biting. It felt like time was infinite in that moment between one ground and another; like a poorly made stop-motion film, where he could see every frame and every movement as it happened.

And then that moment ended, with a resolving crash. Time raced forward, and his senses were attacked all at once in a flurry of sound and movement.

In a jumble of limbs, he fell roughly to the ground before Dawn, rolling a few times for good measure. The wind was knocked out of him as his chest hit the surface of the planet. He felt a pain in his head he couldn't place, and ash and dust filled his nostrils, but a smile came to his face all the same. He could feel. He could taste. He could hurt. That meant he was alive. That meant he was going to be okay.

He coughed out the dusty air to clear his lungs and began to sit up, opening his eyes for the first time since the jump. Dawn was beside him, an arm wrapping around his back, a hand resting on his chest. "You alright?"

The Doctor turned his lopsided smile up to his companion, feeling exhausted but accomplished. "Never better."

Dawn's other hand came behind him, and she pulled him into a tight hug, leaning her head on his shoulder. He patted her back with one band as he supported them both with the other. The teen's tears fell onto his neck. "Oh my God, you did it, Doctor! That was amazing!"

He chuckled at his companion's words, letting his mind wander back to the ring of fire he'd been surrounded by. Johnny Cash's voice rang in his head. Maybe next week they'd just go to one of his concerts.


	42. Rocky Ground (4)

Rocky Ground (4)

Dawn stood first, then grabbed the Doctor's hand and pulled him up beside her. He assured her numerously that he was fine, but the cut above his eyebrow and his sluggish movements warned otherwise. The teen made a mental note to check on him every so often, and to slow down the pace slightly. The worth of the rocky planet probably should have outweighed the life of the Doctor, but Dawn's mind couldn't be argued with when it came to such matters.

The park worker stood idly by, watching the time travellers with impatiently shuffling feet. When Dawn questioned the Doctor's status for the third time, the old groundskeeper couldn't hold in his annoyance. "Can we get moving? This red water problem is only gonna get worse, ya know."

Dawn's eyebrow raised. "Did you just call it 'red water'?"

"'Dunno what else to call it, do I? 'S probably some new exhibit on the fritz."

The park worker walked on ahead of them, surveying the rocky landscape with his hands in his pocket as if it were just another day at the office. Dawn caught the Doctor's sleeve in her strong fingers, forcing him to slow nearly to a stop. "He doesn't know what lava is."

Curtly, the Timelord replied, "Your lot didn't know what it was for thousands of years, and volcanoes are all over your planet. Why should he know?"

He tried to step forward, but Dawn grabbed his other sleeve and turned him toward herself. "It's just like Vesuvius, though. The people didn't know what it was; that's why so many of them died."

The Doctor blinked slowly, and shook his head as if to clear it. Dawn gazed at him quizzically. As they started forward again, a darkness clouded his eyes. "I know. I was there."

The teen froze for a second before running to catch up with him again. "What happened then? How did you save the day?"

The Doctor threw her a quick glance before returning his stare to the path, his eyes almost unblinking. "I didn't save the day. I couldn't."

"What do you mean? You always save the day. You always win."

The Doctor stopped suddenly, turning to his companion sharply with a hand on her arm. "No, Dawn; I don't. Sometimes the best you can do is still not enough."

After a moment's pause, he strided after the park worker, not daring to look back. Dawn stood in silence for a second, her mind reeling, but joined her friend again as her name was called. Ahead of them stood a field of rocks covered almost entirely in ash and smoke. Dawn squinted her eyes and tried to keep the Doctor in her line of sight, which was difficult with one eye on the uneven ground below her.

"Dawn, come this way."

She followed the Timelord's voice to a small clearing, where tall boulders blocked out the worst of the fog. Here, the teen coughed roughly and bent over to catch her breath. The Doctor's hand patted her back as she inhaled deeply.

"We're going to the town center. Kye has an idea on how we can get everyone's attention and tell them what to do."

"Who's Kye?"

The park worker poked his head out from behind the Doctor, waving sarcastically. "That would be me."

Dawn only now realized she hadn't even asked the man's name. In some ways, she was getting as bad as the Doctor. "Okay, so how are we going to get there through all this?"

The Doctor spun around, gritting his teeth. "Very carefully. Kye-" the Doctor faced the park worker swiftly, wincing as his head throbbed. Dawn held back the urge to sit him down. "How well do you know your way around?"

The man held his suspenders with both hands proudly. "I think I know my way 'round, yeah."

"Good. Dawn? How're your lungs, are you okay?"

Dawn answered with both a thumbs up and a shuddering cough. The Doctor chewed his bottom lip. "We need to hurry. Kye? Lead the way."

The Timelord and the human followed Kye down the windiest path of the day, treading over boulders and under bridges. Dawn was forced to stop at increasingly smaller increments due to her less-than-superior physique and her lack of ever hiking or climbing, but slowly they made their way. Shouts still rang in their ears from the distant chaos, but less frequently now. Dawn almost missed the crowd. It was lonely in the middle of the fog.

They had been walking for nearly half an hour when the land became almost impossible to navigate, sending Dawn's heart thudding into her stomach.

A rock wall high above even the Doctor's head stood glaring at them, it's surface almost perfectly smooth, broken only in a dozen or so places where rocks like foot and hand holds allowed for easy climbing. In a safe, indoor gym where she would be harnessed and in the viewing range of thirty or more people, Dawn would have been only slightly deterred. As it was, fog blocked the top of the cliff, opening up the possibilities of it being either ten meters or one hundred meters tall. There was no harness; no spotter to keep one safe from harm or call for help. In fact, there was no help to call if trouble arose. She and the Doctor were the help.

She sank to her knees beside the rock, struggling to slow her breaths, as every inhalation brought smoke and ash into her small lungs. The Doctor knelt beside her, but she could hardly see him through her watery eyes. Their places had been swapped once more. Now she needed the hero.

"Dawn. Dawn, look at me."

The teen laughed anxiously as she came back to full awareness. "What was the point, Doctor? Now we're trapped. Trapped on this rock. Surrounded by stupid rocks."

"You don't mean that. You're a geologist on the making."

She got to her feet. By her own or the Doctor's will, she couldn't be sure. "Screw rocks. I hope I never see them again after this."

In the back of her mind, she knew she was hurting her best friend. She knew he was already blaming himself and she knew every word was probably stinging his chest deeper and deeper. Yet still she ranted, caught in a web of fear and exhaustion that teenagers were never meant to experience, with only the rock that symbolized her death acting as an anchor.

The Doctor held her arms tightly, fighting through the throbbing in his head, the deep ache in his chest, and the stinging in his eyes to look at his companion. "Dawn, listen. I'm very sorry about this, but you have to try."

"No, no, no; Doctor! Why do I have to go first?"

"In case the lava comes back. And anyway, the boulder might not hold all of our weight at once. I have to make sure you're safe."

They shared a mutual nod before Dawn approached the wall. It loomed even higher as she stepped closer. She gave the Doctor one last smile. "Literally caught between a rock and a hard place, eh Doctor?"

She took a deep breath before grabbing onto the closest handhold. As she pulled herself up, using strength she didn't know she had, she called down, "If we both survive this, you're definitely telling me about Pompeii!"

The Doctor grinned as much as he could and mustered up a throaty, "Deal!"

His companion climbed ever higher, forcing his eyes to strain through the fog to see her. As her silhouette disappeared from view, his breath stopped coming to him. For a moment, no sound was heard; not even the scratch of her feet against the rock. Then, finally, her voice rang out loudly, "I made it! Come on up and join me!"

The Doctor let out the breath he'd been holding and turned to Kye. "You can go next. I'll follow you."

Kye stepped up to the rock just as the unmistakable gurgle of lava entered both men's eardrums. The park worker grabbed the first handhold as fast as he could and stepped up, feeling panic rush through him. The Doctor unconsciously took a backwards step towards the rock face.

When the slow tread of the fiery liquid came into view, the Doctor jumped onto the highest ground he could find, which only happened to be a few millimeters above the spewing, approaching lava. "No rush, Kye, but I might just melt if you don't hurry."

The park worker glanced down to find the Doctor nearly surrounded by the rivers of red. "Get up here! Start climbin'."

The Timelord heeded the man's advice without dispute, pulling himself up and away from the lava just as it rushed beneath him. He and Kye climbed up the rock as quickly as they possibly could, though they both felt the boulder quake under their weight and hasty movements. Dawn, sitting on top and watching their ascent with bated breath, also sensed the danger. She turned around to find the other end of the boulder shaking, ready to roll down the hill that led to the town center. "You two might want to be careful! This things about to tip over."

Even as she said the words, she felt the boulder shake more violently than ever, almost upending her. Kye felt the danger rise, too, and froze in his position on the side of the cliff. "Doctor, we both know what has to happen."

The Timelord looked up at the park worker as well as he could, raising himself onto his next foothold. "Yes; you need to hurry. What are you waiting for?"

Kye stayed frozen in place, holding on with just one hand. "Don't lie to yourself, Doctor. One of us has to go."

Dawn's breath froze in her throat as her wide eyes watched the spectacle beneath her. She found herself praying that Kye was being heroic, that he was sacrificing himself, though she knew that would mean his death. The morals scattered in her brain. What was good and what was bad anymore? She couldn't tell.

Kye's foot lifted off of the cliff and kicked out at the Doctor, who narrowly avoided it by climbing up a different set of handholds than Kye. The park worker grunted in anger as the boulder quaked and the Timelord rose higher and higher, now even above him. He set to remedying that immediately, grabbing onto a higher set of handholds and bringing himself right beside the Doctor. The top of the cliff was in sight now. Dawn's face hovered just a meter from the Doctor, along with a pair of all-too familiar eyes.

"Hurry!"

The Doctor struggled to grab onto another rock, breathing quickly. Kye was gaining on him, growing ever so closer. Just as the Doctor's foot pushed him up a bit further and he reached out to grab the final necessary handhold, the park worker's arm grabbed onto his own from beside him, strong and unwilling to let go. The Doctor grimaced as his right hand took almost all the weight for a longer period than it was meant to. "You'll get us both killed!"

Dawn lay down on her stomach now, clinging to the edge of the cliff. "The boulder is falling!"

Suddenly, the rock shuddered, harsher than ever, losing one of its main supports. The harsh, whiplike action made Kye's feet and one-hand grip slide off of the rocks, sending him falling with only the Doctor's arm for support. His weight was too much, though, and he quickly lost hold of that, too. With a yell of fury, he fell into the gruesome lava pit below.

As for the Doctor, Kye's hold on his arm was enough to knock him off balance. His left foot slipped as the park worker's body dropped, leaving only his right hand and foot clinging to the side of the rock face. His hearts raced as these, too, slipped off the smooth cliff, sending him into freefall.

Two hands grabbed onto his own, sending a wave of pain crashing through his elbows and a panicked breath in as he looked below him for a moment, taking in the red and orange fire spitting up at him, furious it hadn't been allowed to consume him today. He felt the arms pull him up slowly, and then, roughly, the ground come up to meet him for the second time that day. The world faded out as he let his exhaustion take over, letting himself sleep for the first time in what felt like months.


	43. Rocky Ground (5)

Rocky Ground (5)

When he next awoke, it took a few seconds just to remind himself that he was alive. Whether he said it aloud or in his head, he wasn't sure. Then a strange, deep chortle met his ears. "You're alright. And thanks to your friend, so is my planet."

The Doctor sat up swiftly, taking in the face of a muscular woman with shockingly bright orange hair. Her skin glowed green in sharp contrast. The Timelord barely caught his breath before questioning, "Who are you?"

The woman smiled warmly, knelt beside the Doctor with a hand on her knee. "I'm the owner of this park. You're friend Dawn came to me in the Town Center just after she cleared the rock face."

The Doctor rose himself to his knees, freezing only when the woman's large hand pressed into his shoulder. "Dawn! Where is she? Is she alright?"

"See for yourself."

The Doctor turned to the Town Center to find his companion, headset over her ears, speaking into a large microphone. In her hands lay a map of some kind and a compass. She gave him one of her brightest smiles as their eyes met. The Timelord grinned back, trying to hide the confusion that danced in his head, but the woman smiled at him, knowing his type too well for tricks. "Come with me."

He followed the woman slowly, his legs and arms aching dully, to where Dawn was standing at a desk littered with papers. She continued to speak into her microphone even as she watched the Doctor. "I repeat: the volcano is located at 51° North by 31° West. Nobody is permitted within twenty miles of the volcano, as it is still active. Please remain indoors at this time. Thank you."

Dawn slid the headset down to her neck and threw her arms around the Doctor, burying her face in his shoulder. "You're back! I thought you'd be out the rest of the day with how tired you were."

The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows slightly, but retained the small smile playing at his lips. "What happened, exactly?"

Dawn nodded at the park owner before pulling off her headset and setting it on the messy desk. "When Meeha-this is Meeha-" Dawn gestured to the green woman, who waved with a smile. "When Meeha caught you, you were pretty out of it, so I went ahead and told the whole town about the volcano. All of those Quake Centers have a built in radio. I explained where it was and how they could stay safe. Meeha even launched a team to clear the dust and lava rivers!"

The Doctor eyed his young companion proudly, a glimmer of fondness resting in his tired eyes. Meeha stepped forward with her hands folded in front of her. "Young Dawn knew exactly how to handle the volcano...and she knew how the lava would affect different types of our rocks. She says she got most of it from you."

"That's definitely not true. I think she saves me far more often than the reverse."

Dawn smiled shyly at the ground beneath her feet, then inhaled deeply. "I guess we better get back to the TARDIS. They're transporting it to the clifftop."

The Doctor gave Dawn another impressed grin. "You took care of everything, didn't you?"

"I learned from the best."

He shook his head at that, wincing as his forehead began to throb again. Dawn rubbed his arm warmly. "We better fix you up."

Meeha hurried to the corner of the room, then met them at the door as they walked out of the town center. "Wait! Before you go; I have a gift for you."

The woman handed the teen a gemstone, sparkling and changing colors every few seconds. As blue lines drifted into green, Dawn handed the stone to the Doctor, who slid it easily into one of his infinitely sized pockets, and then thanked the woman earnestly. When she turned around, the Doctor was already halfway to the TARDIS. A smile came to her face as she ran to catch up, grabbing onto his arm when she reached him. Softly, she rest her head on his shoulder. He gently covered her hands with his as they entered the ship.

The TARDIS welcomed them joyfully, emitting beeps and whirs as her thief eyed her thankfully. The lights brightened as soon as the doors closed, and a hatch under the Console popped open. Dawn examined it to find a small medical kit, fully stocked with both bandages and tea. She knew her occupants well.

Dawn stood by the beside the rightmost staircase and prodded her finger to the Doctor. "Come here; I need to make sure you're actually alright."

With a grunt, the Timelord dropped into the chair, closing his eyes as his companion cleaned his face with a wipe infused with water and disinfectant. When it reached the cut on his head, he gasped suddenly and jerked away from her. The next time she went to look at his wound, she made sure to keep one hand holding firmly on the other side of his head. The Doctor muttered his discontent low enough that she didn't hear him.

As soon as he was scanned once more and cleared by his companion, the Doctor tried to jump out of his seat, but was held down by a steady hand on his shoulder. His companion was giving him her biggest eyes, the ones that reminded him of Clara...the mystery he still hadn't solved just yet.

Dawn pulled over a seat she had brought up to the main deck many weeks ago and placed it directly beside the Doctor's, sinking into it slowly.

"Doctor...what happened in Pompeii?"

The Timelord shifted in his seat, his eyes boring into a roundel on the wall across the room. He turned back to Dawn only as the teen's hand came to rest on his shoulder, her thumb massaging his achy bones comfortingly.

"There's an old Timelord theory that says some moments in history can be changed and some can't be. Pompeii was one that I couldn't change."

The Doctor's gaze fell to the floor as Dawn chewed over his words, folding her hands over each other awkwardly. After a moment of silence, in which the teen began regretting her question, the Doctor's eyes met hers again. She thought she saw a faint smile cross his features. "There was one family I was able to save; a marble merchant and his family. That's actually where I got this face from."

"What?"

"Long story; nevermind. What I learned that day was that sometimes I can't save everybody in the town, but I still have to try and save some people; as many as I can."

Dawn nodded, and the two time travellers stared absently at the floor in front of them, both of their minds working hard to sort through the action and emotion of the day. While the Doctor rested his head on his hand and closed his eyes, Dawn sat chewing her bottom lip, her eyes darting back and forth anxiously. The Timelord seemed to sense this and opened his eyes to see her foot tapping rapidly against the Console floor. "Are you okay?"

"When Kye tried to push you off the cliff...it was like I was rooting for him to die. What does that make me?"

The Doctor took his companion's hand in his own and leaned closer to her. "Don't. Don't do that to yourself."

"But, it's like…I was selfish. And scared. And it made me cruel."

"I probably would've felt the same as you, Dawn. Defending the people you care about is completely natural."

"None of this feels natural to me!"

The Doctor lifted one of his hands to cover his face, keeping the other held tightly onto Dawn's small fingers. He was lost for words. He had no answers for his young friend. No words of wisdom. Not even comforting lies could be mustered from his foggy brain. He was losing her, and he had already lost himself.

Dawn took a deep breath, struggling to push away the thoughts that clouded her mind; that sang of her selfishness and her inner evil. "He didn't deserve what happened. He was only lashing out because he was scared."

The Doctor's head lifted, his hand falling to his lap. "Dawn...the fact that you can say that is what makes you a good person. Good people aren't perfect. They aren't always nice. They have to face tough decisions sometimes. What makes someone good is that they recognize the bad in their decisions and learn from it. You were put in an impossible situation and you managed to save the whole town. That's even better than I could've done."

The Doctor froze in his speech as two arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Dawn was knelt uncomfortably in front of him with her head leaning on his shoulder. He returned the gesture with an awkward kneel of his own and a tight hug for his companion. Softly, Dawn's voice tearfully muttered, "Thank you."

The Doctor simply patted the teen's back, a forced grin not quite reaching his eyes. The truth was, her words had spawned some thoughts of his own; thoughts he had outrun long ago. Was he a good man? Was he turning Dawn into a bad person? What made someone good or bad anyway?

At the last second of their embrace, the Doctor's smile faded into a deep-set frown.


	44. Stuck on the Slow Path (1)

Stuck on the Slow Path (1)

Saturdays at the café were almost as hectic as adventures with the Doctor, but ten times less as fun. There were no alien creatures to discover; no planets the size of the sun. There were no storms that rained only crystals or views that stretched throughout time itself.

Instead, there were people, seemingly billions of them, actually dozens, all crammed into one small room. Chairs screeched against the tile floor as they left and came; the bell over the door chimed every few seconds to remind Dawn how busy they really were. Coffee drowned any other smell, getting into the three baristas heads, clouding them with a thick fog that made it hard to think, let alone dish out perfectly brewed orders. Mistakes were common on Saturdays, but forgiveness from customers was rare. It sometimes seemed like the only sentences in the English language were "That's not what I ordered" and "I'm so sorry about that".

This particular Saturday was weighing heavier on Dawn than most. She had just spent a good two weeks in the TARDIS, (in her personal timestream, anyway), and had basically forgotten she had work today. Her brain was working at half time, still reeling from being on the moon and dancing in the starlight of a planet with three suns. Oh, how beautiful it had been! The sunlight streamed through the trees, creating whirling patterns on the street. She had been wary at first, but had eventually joined a few young children in prancing about the square, laughing and grinning. She had even gotten the Doctor to come into the courtyard at one point, grabbing his hand and forcing his feet to shuffle along to the loud music being played on instruments she couldn't even name.

"Dawn! Two hot chocolates with extra whipped cream!"

She shook her head quickly and threw a cup beneath the hot milk machine, holding the top button down until the white liquid had filled half of the cup. She then filled another cup the same way, and took both beverages to the other side of the counter, where another machine dropped hot chocolate syrup into the two cups. The whipped cream she took from beside Lea, the barista currently warming a muffin, and shook it wildly, trying to ignore the growing line of people in front of the counter. She circled the whipped cream around the tops of the hot chocolates until they were absolutely covered, then sprinkled on a dash of cinnamon, a secret she'd learned from her mother long ago. Finally, she placed the two cups on the pick-up counter and called out, "Two hot chocolates with whipped cream!"

She was about to turn away when two faces caught the corner of her eye, approaching the counter and grabbing the drinks eagerly. Dawn smiled at them. "Bryant and Fitz?"

Fitz already had his face in the whipped cream, but Bryant answered her with a laugh, "Just thought we'd check up on you. And you can call us Andy and Henry when we're off duty."

Dawn eyed them curiously. "Nah, I'm going to stick with Bryant and Fitz."

'Andy' Bryant shrugged his shoulders. "If you'd like."

Fitz brought the cup down from his mouth, revealing a thick whipped cream moustache. "This is the best hot chocolate I've ever had."

Dawn nodded. "Cinnamon. Makes it taste ten times better."

Behind her, Dawn heard Cam, the cashier, calling her name. She threw the UNIT soldiers a quick grimace. "I better get back. It was nice seeing you again, and without a building crashing around us."

"That does usually make for a better atmosphere." Bryant smiled as he picked up his cup and led Fitz to the one empty table beside the window. Dawn sighed as she turned back to her work. Cam called her name again.

"Dawn, can you take over register? I have to go outside real quick."

Dawn agreed subconsciously and took her place behind the cash register, gazing fearfully at the enormous crowd in front of her. Silently, she took a deep breath.

Three people filtered through the line with only minor issues. Then another three had their orders mixed up and a fourth complained about prices, as if Dawn could do something to change them. The teen glanced over to her friends wistfully, smiling as Bryant laughed at Fitz' messy face, then proceeded to clean it with a napkin. A flurry of joy came from seeing them, smiling, talking, and knowing she was friends with them. It had been so long since she had anyone like that, and now she had so many; even an alien or two.

"Ahem."

Dawn shook her head again and took the next man's order, a complicated and overly intricate drink she could foresee being a problem. Silently, she rattled it off to Lea, praying that Cam would be back soon.

Five more customers got through the line, and then the bell above the door jangled again. It had been ringing all day, but the wide crowd had been blocking the door for hours. Now, though, as the line shrank and the store just slightly emptied, Dawn had a clear view to the door. When she saw who had entered, her jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

"Doctor?"

Her lips had whispered out the word before she could stop them, her gaze focused intently on the owl-eyed Timelord who was slowly making his way into the line. He moved through the room like a frightened cat, taking in every detail and jumping at the slightest move towards himself. When Bryant and Fitz saw him, they shared an awkward greeting and then stared at each other for a full ten seconds. It took an enormous effort for Dawn to look away and focus on the order being muttered in her direction.

Four people ordered and got out of line before the Doctor finally appeared again, leaning over the counter and avoiding Dawn's eyes.

"Doctor, what are you doing here? It's not even Tuesday!"

"Dawn, I have a bit of a situation…"

The Doctor glanced around anxiously. "I can't talk about it with all of these humans here."

Dawn gritted her teeth at the line. "Okay...listen, just order your drink and then sit at that table in the corner, okay?"

He nodded. "Coffee with some milk and seven sugars?"

Dawn raised her eyebrows high, he finger freezing on the computer screen. "Seven sugars? Are you serious?"

The Doctor nodded again, not a hint of sarcasm playing in his eye. The teen imput the order and called it back to Lea, who froze for a second before brewing the coffee. "Okay, that's a pound fifty."

The Doctor bit his lip awkwardly, pulling a note out of his pocket. "I didn't know how much to bring...this is all I have."

The note in his hand was for fifty pounds. Dawn sighed in exasperation. "Do you want to pay it forward then? This'll pay for everyone in line."

"Sure."

Dawn scribbled the amount on a piece of paper and then took his money. Behind her, she heard Cam enter through the back door. As he put on his apron, Dawn tapped his shoulder. "Hey, this man just paid fifty pounds for everyone who's next in line. Can you take care of that for me? I'm gonna take my break."

"Sure, yeah. Go for it."

Dawn pulled off her apron and manoeuvred around the counter, meeting the Doctor as he picked up his drink. Lea eyed him suspiciously as she went back to the coffee machine. Dawn led the Timelord through the crowd to the back wall, where luckily she found an empty booth.

"What's the situation, Doctor?"

"I don't know where the TARDIS is."

The teen sat back in her seat. "What do you mean?"

The Doctor took a sip of his coffee, scrunching his nose at it. Under his breath, he muttered, "Not enough sugar."

When he made to stand up, Dawn put a strong hand on his arm. "Don't avoid the question; what happened?"

He sighed and placed the cup back on the table. "I was tinkering with the chameleon circuit, the thing that helps it be a Police Box, and then she kicked me out and left. I have no idea where she is, or even what she looks like."

"Can I help?"

"I'm not sure. Do you have an alien tech tracker on you?"

Dawn stared at him for a second without an expression. "Why did you come to me for help if you knew I couldn't?"

"I figured the TARDIS must've kicked me out here for a reason."

Dawn furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait, she kicked you out here? I thought you came from somewhere else."

The teen smiled to herself. Not only did she have friends, but her friend's ship thinks she's the best person for the job when her captain is stuck. What a difference adventure can make.

Dawn caught sight of Bryant and Fitz at their place by the opposite wall, still chatting and finishing their hot chocolates. "I have an idea."

The Doctor grabbed at the teen's arm as she stood, slamming his coffee onto the table and swallowing hard. "No, wait, Dawn!"

"What?"

The Doctor shifted his gaze. "It's a bit awkward with me and Bryant and Fitz. The last time we met was when I was practically unconscious and delirious. Can't we call Kate or someone else?"

"If you were going to go to Kate, you would've done so already, but you came to me, so I'm going to help you...And anyway, they've already seen us and I think they're coming over."

The Doctor put a hand over his face as Dawn said hello to their two new companions and told them of the situation. To his dismay, she went on to say, "I have to get back to work. Can you three wait here for a little while? I'll try and leave early."

The Timelord lowered his hand as Bryant and Fitz turned their attention to him, both standing as stiff as two poles. Bryant evan soluted. "Mr. President."

The Doctor sighed and muttered, "At ease, soldier." Then he motioned for them both to sit down. Slowly, they obeyed, sliding awkwardly onto the bench opposite the Timelord one at a time. Fitz folded his hands on the table, his foot tapping against the floor. The Doctor sipped his coffee and prayed for Dawn to return soon.


	45. Stuck on the Slow Path (2)

Stuck on the Slow Path (2)

The Doctor had finished explaining his situation to the couple in fewer than five minutes, which left another ten aching minutes of awkward silence before Dawn returned. When she did come back to their silent little corner booth, it was with an almost teasing smile on her face. The Doctor nearly glared for her cheek, but instead turned to the wall and took a sip of his coffee. Bryant was forced to face Dawn, as Fitz was focused on his folded hands in front of him.

"You get off early?"

Dawn nodded, leaning over the table until the Doctor and Fitz met her gaze.

"Do we have a plan? How're we going to help the Doctor?"

Fitz shook his head, his eyebrow raising slightly. "Can't we just go to UNIT? I'm sure Kate has something you can use."

The Timelord sighed, bending his head down to look at the table. "I'm only allowed to go to Kate if the world is in danger."

Dawn eyed him curiously. "There's a story there. Did you go to her for a splinter once?"

The Doctor closed his eyes for a second. "It was a really bad one...anyway. We can't go to UNIT for this."

Bryant creased his eyebrows. "But...me and Fitzy are UNIT."

The Doctor widened his eyes. "Not today, is that clear? Nobody else at UNIT can know about this. Secret mission. Okay?"

Fitz grinned at that. "Working as secret agents for the president?" He leaned back with his arms crossed. "I think I can die happy."

Bryant nudged his partner with his shoulder. "Not before we're married, Fitzy."

Fitz shook his head, retaining a faint smile. "Just using it as an expression, Andy."

The Doctor threw Dawn a pleading look, which she responded to with a large intake of breath. "Anyway, how are we going to help the Doctor find the TARDIS? Without UNIT."

Bryant and Fitz both went into deep thought, Fitz chewing his bottom lip anxiously and Bryant staring at a blank point on the wall beside the Doctor. The Timelord turned from one to the other, and then sighed, dropping his head to the table, when they ceased to speak for an entire three minutes. Dawn sat beside her alien friend, rubbing circles on his back.

From inside the elbow of his jacket, the Doctor muttered, "It's hopeless. She's probably found another pilot by now."

"You're not one to give up. And besides, no one else on this planet can fly a TARDIS."

The Doctor picked his head up instantly, his eyes taking on the quality of a deer's, as reflected in the headlights of a speeding car down the main road. "Unless…"

Dawn stiffened, her hand freezing behind the Doctor's perked up head. "Unless what, Doctor?"

His icy eyes met hers, wide and fearful. "While I was tinkering under the Console, I heard a few alarms go off, but I ignored them."

Dawn sighed, putting a hand over her face. "Of course you did."

The Doctor continued in his frenzied manner. "I thought it was just the TARDIS yelling at me again because I'd messed with her wiring. But now that I think about it, it was the green alarms that were triggered, which means..."

He had practically frozen where he sat, watching a spot behind Bryant, where the counter stood. Dawn shook his arm, but his only response was to point with a bony finger towards one of the patrons in line. Even from where they sat ten meters away, all three humans could see that it was an alien standing in line.

It's blue neck hid beneath a black helmet. Red letters of a foreign script (cosmically foreign, that is), dotted the surface of the helmet. Panic seized Dawn by the throat as her eyes danced around the small shop where just a few months ago no aliens were apt to visit. Now there were at least two. Oh, boy, how times had changed. At the moment, she wasn't sure if it was really for the better.

The time travellers and the two UNIT soldiers huddled over their bistro table. Five hearts were racing. Four eyes were wide as a football pitch. Dawn was the first to speak, her voice urgent but hardly above a whisper.

"Doctor; what do we do?"

"At the moment, nothing."

"Nothing?!"

The teen's shrill proclamation caught the attention of a nearby man and woman, who creased their eyebrows at her. She nodded at them before clearing her throat and dropping her voice down again. "We can't do nothing. What if he destroys the whole shop? Then it'll be our fault!"

The Doctor's eyes took on something like sadness. Or perhaps it was disappointment.

"Maybe he picked up on my trail and he learned we have food here. He could just be buying a coffee."

Dawn muttered back, "Or he picked up on your trail and he's hunting you down."

Bryant chimed in next. "You did seem worried when you found out what the TARDIS alarm was. I say we call in backup from UNIT; they could have the place surrounded in two minutes."

Anger played at the edges of the Timelord's eyes. "Don't even think about it."

Fitz shrugged his shoulders lightly. "But sir, with all due respect, we don't know what that thing is or what it's intentions are."

The Doctor's head turned sharply in the young man's direction. "You can say that about anyone else on this planet. That doesn't make you suspicious of everyone else, does it?"

A faint smile curled Bryant's lip. "Sir, you have to see the difference. That thing is blue. It's a blue person with spikes on his hand, do you see that? We need backup."

"So it's because he looks different, then? You all look different. You don't call UNIT every time someone different from you walks in, do you? Maybe you do. What decade is this again?"

Dawn felt the heat rising in her cheeks. "We aren't racist, Doctor. What's gotten into you?"

The Doctor turned to his companion and blinked his eyes slowly. "Then why are you so inclined to call UNIT?"

"Because he might be dangerous.

"What makes you say that, though?"

"He's an alien!"

Silence hung in the small space between them for what felt like a year. Dawn's words echoed in her ears, ringing loudly through her cranium. Never had she felt more regret fill her throat. Never had she felt tears sting in anger more brightly; more vividly. She didn't even know who she was angry with anymore. Was it the Doctor, for thinking she was an alien-phobic racist? Or was it herself, for being just that?

All of a sudden needing desperately to breath, the teen stood and turned away from the table, unable to hold the gaze of the man she called best friend. The man she'd just discriminated against. The man who may never forgive her. Slowly, she breathed in, and then out. The heavy weight in her chest only seemed to grow as time ticked on, ever so slowly.

The Doctor sat frozen still, his hearts aching, his mind whirling through the par five minutes repeatedly. Bryant and Fitz were leaned back as far as they could in the booth across from him, but he didn't even notice. Fire seemed to dance beneath his cheeks, making his face feel hot. Too hot. He could hardly breath. Suddenly he stood, putting a delicate hand on Dawn's arm. He tried to ignore the slight jolt that went through her as he touched her, but his mind caught it and held onto the memory.

"What about me?"

Dawn shook her head, her eyes wet with unshed tears. "I didn't mean what I said, Doctor, you have to know that-"

"Dawn, what about me?"

His eyes were unblinking; wide and full of hurt. They bore into Dawn's, making her feel sick. Making her feel like she had abused a wounded animal. She shuddered as her mind played over that last sentence. Did she seriously think of the Doctor as a wild animal?

The teen put her face in her hands. The Doctor's gaze fell to the floor. "Dawn…I thought I taught you more than that. Guess I was wrong."

As he turned around with a sad smile on his face, Dawn grabbed his hand. "Hey, wait. I don't think you're dangerous; I just never usually think of you as alien. You look human and you act human. I thought you basically were a human. I thought you liked being seen as one of us."

The Doctor shook his head, his features dulling. "I'm proud to be an alien, Dawn. Today more than ever, perhaps."

With that, the Timelord hurried out of the coffee shop, rubbing his eyes with his hand as he shoved the door open and let it crash against the frame. As Dawn stood watching him leave, she heard the blue alien at the counter ordering a small banana smoothie, dropping some change in the tips jar as they made their way to the pick-up counter.


	46. Stuck on the Slow Path (3)

Stuck on the Slow Path (3)

Dawn slunk into the corner of the booth, burying her face in her crossed arms on the table. Fitz glanced at Bryant before placing a tentative hand on the young teen's arm. "He'll come around. Mates argue all the time. Even Bryant and I fight sometimes."

Dawn lifted her head and rested her chin on the back of her hands. "What if he doesn't come back?"

Bryant leaned in closer. "From what I've heard and what I've seen, the Doctor's a pretty big drama queen. He tends to take feelings to the extreme. He gives Fitzy a run for his money-"

"-Oi!"

"-Case in point."

Bryant raised an eyebrow at Fitz, who nudged his boyfriend hard with his shoulder. Then he nodded toward Dawn with a smile. "See? Always arguing."

Bryant shook his head, and stared into space for a moment with a faint smile on his face. After a moment, he looked back up at Dawn. "But he's also really logical, so he'll put it into perspective.I wouldn't worry about it too much."

"I hope you're right."

The teen bit her lip, gazing around the quieting cafe. The blue alien was sitting at a table by themselves, chugging their banana smoothie like a five year old child. Dawn felt both a pang of guilt and a flurry of joy rise through her chest. Silently, she wondered where on earth the Doctor had gone, and wishing his time machine could go back and fix this.

* * *

The Doctor breathed in the fresh air deeply as the shop door slammed shut behind him. It still didn't fill his lungs enough. A weight pressed on his chest, a constant, dull, ache. His mind was working furiously, hardly staying on one thought for more than a second. His eyes were still wet with tears. What was happening to him? He was a Timelord! He wasn't supposed to get offended by one silly sentence. He wasn't supposed to cry because he argued with a teenager. He was better than this. Wasn't he?

Dawn's words crept into his mind, though. She thought of him as one of them. There was a them now, apparently, and he wasn't on the same side of it as his best friend. Were they still best friends? Certainly best friends weren't supposed to make each other feel like an elephant was sat on their chest. Yet it always seemed to work out that way. Maybe he didn't know what friendship was. That thought made him feel even worse.

He didn't hear or see the outside world until a screech of tires and a blaring car horn shocked him out of his reverie. He dazedly looked to the alley beside him, finding a bright red car sitting just a fraction of a millimeter from his leg. The driver was shouting something loud and unintelligible. The Doctor continued on without looking back.

Now cut off from his train of thought, he began looking around at the people in the streets. An old lady pushed a cart slowly beside the curb, a blank expression cutting into her wrinkled features. A few young teens sat on a stoop, shouting at each other about a lie and an annoyance.

The Timelord sighed. The human race. Always something to fight about. Why would he ever want to be one of them?

His hand was suddenly met with warmth, and the Doctor jumped in surprise. His owlish gaze turned on a small child, a young girl with inumerous rainbow-colored clips in her hair. Her tiny fingers wrapped around two of his own.

"Sir, why are you so sad?"

An older woman's voice came from just beside the Doctor, sounding slightly exasperated, but patient and kind. "Hi, I'm sorry. Mariah, why don't we let the man continue his walk, eh?"

But the girl merely gazed up at the Timelord with wide, curious eyes. His own focused on her, the first thing grounding him since the shrieking car. He had to admit this was much better.

"Sir?"

He cleared his throat, wondering whether his throat still functioned. "I had a fight with a friend."

"Oh. When my friend and I were cross at each other, I gave him a flower and it made him happy. Do you like flowers?"

The Doctor's features softened, and an almost smile curled his lips. "Flowers are lovely."

The girl glanced to the side, then ran to the curb. Her mother nearly screamed in fright, but the child stopped just beside the roadside and bent down. Her tiny fingers grasped around a protruding yellow dandelion, and pulled it out. She was back in front of the Doctor almost instantly. As she held it up towards him, the Timelord felt his hearts melt.

"Would you like this flower?"

The Doctor tenderly took the small flower from the girl's hand and softly replied, "I'd love it. Thank you."

The mother nodded to him and whispered her gratefulness as she took her daughter's hand and led her away. Just before they left earshot, the girl called back, "I hope you and your friend make up!"

The Doctor chuckled to himself, sniffing the petals of the flower deeply. Tears had sprung into his eyes again, but this time he didn't dismiss them. Instead, he leaned against the closest wall, a corner beside a stair leading to someone's flat, and let them fall.

Humans. Such complicated, messy, annoying, exasperating, beautiful, kind creatures they all were. His wet eyes scanned the street once more. A young man ran up to an elderly woman, returning her dropped glove. Two children danced around each other in an alleyway, laughing and smiling broadly.

The Doctor didn't realize he had begun walking back to the cafe until he was halfway there, holding firmly onto the yellow flower, protecting it from opposite-walking pedestrians. It was as if a new day had begun, the argument forgotten, words made unsaid. The power of one person; one tiny, young, person. The Doctor shook his head and laughed, ignoring the odd stares he received by doing so.

* * *

Dawn's finger traced circles on the tabletop as Bryant and Fitz called out ideas on how they could locate the Doctor. She could hardly hear them, though she was thankful they were trying so hard. The words she had said and the pain she must have inflicted in her best friend still lay buried in her chest, making it difficult to breath, let alone speak. Guilt. Worst feeling in the world, in her opinion.

The shop door opened again, but it only registered in the back of her intensely focused mind. Then a shadow fell over her. Then a flower appeared in front of her face. Finally, she blinked out of her daze and looked up.

The Doctor's innocent and guilt-ridden eyes only served to bring Dawn even more guilt, but the relief of seeing him brought her to her feet. Her arms fell around his neck as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean what I said. Can you forgive me?"

The Doctor glanced around the cafe and whispered, "How about we go somewhere private to talk?"

Dawn let him go, wiping at her eyes furiously. "The back; the alley. Only employees allowed."

She led her friend by the hand out the back door, nodding to her coworkers as they went out. Once the door shut behind them and they were both sat on a few stacked crates sitting on the cobblestones, they both looked to the ground. Dawn's foot tapped restlessly against the stones. The Doctor's thumbs twiddled around the flower. Cars rushed past the alley, the only sound to stave off the cutting silence. Finally, the Doctor's head lifted slightly.

"I understand what you meant. It just hurts sometimes. When people discriminate against other aliens-even though I know you don't think of me like that...actually, that hurts, too."

He adjusted how he was seated on the crate and met Dawn's eye, just for a moment. He looked away as he continued. "It's like...I don't want to be seen as a danger, but I don't want any aliens to be seen as a danger. Not just based on the fact that they're an alien, at least. But also...I'm not a human. And I shouldn't have said I'm proud not to be a human; you're a great species. I just...when you say I don't act like an alien, or I seem human, it takes away a bit of...me."

Dawn nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Do you understand?"

"Yes; yes, I think I do."

They looked each other in the eye and smiled. They then stood slowly and wrapped their arms around each other, feeling the tension and pain dissipate, if only slightly. As they embraced, the Doctor eyed the flower still in his fingers. His smile deepened.

Dawn closed her eyes as she rested her head on his chest. "You scared me for a minute there; I thought you weren't going to come back."

"I always come back, Dawn. No matter what."

The teen tightened her hold on her alien friend. Never again would she worry about him walking out. If they could get through a fumble like this, they could get through anything.

The Doctor pulled away from the hug, keeping a hold on Dawn's shoulders for a moment. "Now we need to find my TARDIS and find out what bluey with the smoothie is doing here."

Dawn grinned as the Doctor raced back into the building, throwing a goofy pair of sunglasses on. Taking a deep breath, she thanked the universe she had a friend like him, who could forgive better than anyone she'd ever met. In the back of her mind, she wondered whether she would have forgiven herself if she had been in his place. The ache in her chest lined with guilt seemed to disagree.


	47. Stuck on the Slow Path (4)

Stuck on the Slow Path (4)

The Doctor burst into the cafe, leaving the swinging door banging into the wall as he sprinted to the center of the dining area. Half of the room turned to look at the strange man prodding his whirring sunglasses. The other half remained completely oblivious, their headphones singing into their ears, their eyes focused intently on computer screens.

Dawn followed slowly behind her Timelord friend, shutting the back door quietly as she entered. Her eye caught Cam's, and she smiled apologetically. The cashier simply shook his head and went back to punching numbers in the register. "Doctor, maybe tone it down a bit?"

The Doctor spun around to face his companion, lifting the sunglasses up as he did so. They rested haphazardly in the middle of his curly hair, miraculously not falling as he rushed to Dawn's side. "Where did they go?"

"Who?"

"Bluey! They were here five minutes ago. Where could they have gone?"

Dawn peered around the cafe, biting her lip as her mind raced into the new mystery. When she turned back to the Doctor, his eyes were covered in dark shades again. The teen creased her eyebrows. "Okay: what's with the sunglasses?"

His lips curled in a smirk. "They're Sonic."

"Sonic? Like the screwdriver Sonic?"

He poked the bridge of the glasses with a finger, and the unmistakable whir of the screwdriver echoed through the air. "What do you think?"

Dawn grinned, shaking her head slightly. "That...is actually pretty cool. What made you think of that?"

"I tried them out a while ago, with...with Clara."

The Doctor practically froze for a moment, just long enough for Dawn to take notice. Then, with a shake of the head, he came back into the present. "Whoever that was...anyway, they don't hold up as well as the Sonic, but they're a bit more inconspicuous. Good for undercover work."

Dawn chuckled, crossing her arms. "I don't think it's possible for you to be inconspicuous. Especially not with those ridiculous specs on."

The Doctor pulled the shades off his nose quickly and stuffed them in a coat pocket. A sour, albeit playful, pout flashed across his face. "As it happens, these 'ridiculous specs' may have just saved London from panic."

He glanced over to the booth where Bryant and Fitz were still sat at. "Tell Kate if anyone cries about a blue alien, I'm on it. No armies, no publicity. Got that?"

Bryant nodded and answered for them both as Fitz swallowed a gulp of his second hot chocolate. "Got it, sir."

Dawn grabbed the Doctor's arm as he turned to leave. "Wait, what did the specs do?"

The Timelord slid the glasses back onto his nose and peered at his companion over the top of the frame. "Picked up on Bluey's trail."

He pushed the frames against the bridge of his nose, covering his eyes with the dark glass, and threw Dawn a smirk. She couldn't help but smile back as they hurried out of the shop.

The Doctor led the way down the streets of London, watching the ground intently. The glowing trail of the blue alien seemed to go on forever. At one point, he believed his specs may have glitched, but he tossed the idea away without mention. Dawn probably would've groaned louder than he could bear.

As they rounded yet another corner, the glowing trail seemed to thin. The Doctor stopped in his tracks, glancing around. Dawn, panting, finally let herself bend over and breath. "Are we getting close?"

The Timelord's eyebrows creased as he thought over the new information, and his words came with hesitance. "Y-yeah. Definitely."

The Doctor stepped forward, his long legs making quick work of the next corner. His shorter companion had to nearly jog to stay with him. "Hey, Doctor! Talk to me: what is it?"

The Doctor hardly heard her. The glowing trail was thinning once again, now barely a few centimeters across the ground in front of him. When Dawn's question finally registered, he turned to her and replied honestly, "The trail is getting smaller. The more recent, the thinner the path. But it doesn't work like that. Time evaporates trails. It doesn't make them grow. It's like...it's like Bluey is breaking the laws of time." As if in an afterthought, the Doctor whispered, "Impossible."

Dawn raised her eyebrows at the stunned man beside her. His mouth was slightly agape, his legs spinning him around in circles. His fingers scratched at his chin in bemusement and agitation. The teen slowly approached her friend and tugged at his sleeve. Slowly, he turned down to her, lifting up his specs and rubbing at his eyes. "Ugh, Doctor? Has it occurred to you that, maybe...Bluey might be leading a false trail? Like a red herring?"

The Doctor froze with his hand still curled beside his wide eyes. Then he blinked and turned to his companion with a tiny smile. "You wonderful human being...Timelords are always missing the obvious."

He folded his Sonic Shades back into his coat pocket. "Right. If Bluey is going to play this like a Sherlock Holmes novel, we're going to have to play along."

He pointed a bony finger towards Dawn. "We need clues! And a hat...I've always loved a good hat…"

"Drifting?"

The Doctor blinked and shook his head. "Right; sorry. Haven't investigated something like this in a while. It's quite exciting."

Together, they retraced the path they had walked, gazing everywhere around themselves as they went. Nothing out of the ordinary, beside a few old women dashing down an alley shouting about Pokèmon, made an appearance. After twenty minutes, Dawn was nearly ready to collapse. Then her eyes fell on something that made her heart leap. A banana smoothie cup from her cafe.

"Doctor!"

The teen raced to the trash bin, followed quickly by the Doctor. He already had the shades back over his eyes. "Very good."

His face turned downwards, to the asphalted ground below. "It seems the banana peel slipped our friend."

Dawn gritted her teeth. The Doctor peered up at her over his glasses. "I didn't use that right, did I?"

"I'm not even sure what you were trying to say."

"We'll work on that later. As for now, it seems Bluey stepped in his drink. Now this is a path we can follow."

Dawn squinted at the yellow matter. "Not another red herring?"

The Doctor turned up, reading the new glowing trail through his lenses. Slowly, his mouth fell open. "No. Definitely not."

Dawn watched her friend lower his specs slowly, placing them back in his pocket without looking. His eyes had darkened significantly. His mouth was set in a deep frown. "He's at the Tower of London."


	48. Stuck on the Slow Path (5)

Stuck on the Slow Path (5)

"The Tower of London? Isn't that dangerous? That's a pretty important building."

The Doctor didn't respond, merely starting forward without seeming to hear his companion. Dawn set off after him, stepping twice as often as he just to keep pace. His eyes were locked ahead, his boots barely making contact with the ground as he glided down a path of his own design, weaving in and out of alleyways. Dawn guessed he knew where he was going and was blazing the fastest trail. Honestly, though, the fiery light dancing in the Doctor's eyes made her too afraid to ask.

When they finally rounded one last corner and the teen's eyes landed on the historic building, her jaw dropped. The guards meant to be blocking the entrance lay on the ground, bonelessly. Dawn caught the tail end of a blue figure dashing behind them, making their way swiftly into the building.

The Doctor dashed across the street without sparing a glance at the road. Dawn shook her head and thanked the universe a car hadn't been storming down the road.

"Dawn-call Bryant and Fitz. These two need medical assistance, and it has to be someone from UNIT. No one can know there's an alien here. Not yet."

The girl whipped out her phone instantly, sending a quick text to both of her friends without hesitance. When she had secured the device in the pocket of her jeans again, she looked up to find the Doctor had sprinted off, making his way behind the disappearing blue shape in the distance. Again, Dawn tisked and rolled her eyes, but followed at top speed despite herself.

She found herself lost and on her own soon after the Doctor had rounded a corner, her phone vibrating madly in her pocket. It was all she could do to keep her mind set on one thing at a time. But when a familiar voice called her name and Kate Stewart appeared in front of her, armed with two UNIT soldiers, Dawn was forced to forget both of her tasks.

"Kate! Thank God."

The older woman had her hands behind her back and a curious, arched eyebrow above bright eyes and a calm smile. "Dawn. I have to say, I really wasn't expecting to see you. What happened?"

"There's a blue alien on the loose. The Doctor and I were tracking it and it came in here."

Kate's smile faded into a set frown, the one reserved for attacks on her home planet. "Where is it now?"

Dawn turned up to the building beside her, which loomed great and dizzying above. "I don't know. They turned a corner and I lost them. I think they're in that building there, but I'm really not sure."

Kate turned sharply to the soldiers beside her. "You two-split up and locate the blue alien. I don't want any gunfire unless it attacks first, got that?"

They both nodded and went to move towards the door, but Kate leaned closer and held the closest one's arm. "Keep it silent. We don't need to incite a panic yet."

Dawn brought her focus back to the woman beside her, whose face still held a surprising calm about it. The teen hardly suppressed a smile as Kate approached her, full of confidence and assurance she'd never known. "Dawn-is there anything else you know?"

The teen racked her brain, closing her eyes for a second. "Ugh, just that there are two guards knocked out next to the entrance. But I called Bryant and Fitz; they're on their way. Bryant said he'd help them. The Doctor didn't want any regular hospitals knowing about the alien yet."

"Good. Now…where do you think he could be?"

Dawn and Kate looked back up at the building, their eyes darting back and forth over the stones. After a deathly silence took over, jaded only by their quiet breaths, a piercing scream rang out from inside the walls, followed by a crash. The two women turned to each other instantly. Almost simultaneously, they commented, "There he is," and "That would be the place."

For a second, they shared a knowing smile, and then burst into the building at full speed. Dawn chased Kate up the stairs two at a time, feeling her heart beat wildly against her ribs yet again. If she didn't get healthy from all of this running, she told herself, she was going to scream.

Kate ran up to the closest door on the next level and hurtled through it, allowing it to crash against the wall with a bang. When Dawn finally caught up, she skidded to a halt beside her.

The room was in utter chaos. Paper lay scattered all over the place, neat piles strewn haphazardly on the desks and the floor. Computer screens tilted diagonally on their desktops, a few of their screens shattered, most of them at least scratched. Scientists and soldiers alike sat huddled under their tables and leaned against pillars, holding their arms above their heads. Some of them cautiously peaked up to look at the newcomers with wide eyes.

Kate stepped further into the room and helped a nearby scientist to his feet. His glasses sat askew on his nose. Dawn noticed his coat was dirtied with something red. Then she saw the woman lying next to him, holding her arm with a grimace. Kate seemed to see this too, as she quickly turned towards another row of desks and called out, "Medic over here!"

Dawn shifted to let the woman through, and then felt a pang of dread flood through her chest. Inaudibly, she whispered, "Doctor."

The teen's wide eyes searched the darkened room, lit only by half of the ceiling's fluorescent lights. She breathed a sigh of relief as a lanky figure with wild hair stood from a crouched position over a man Dawn realized with a nauseous stomach was dead. The Doctor's icy blue eyes met his companion's painfully. She could practically see the defeat and the horror that lay within them. His head shook back and forth slightly as he approached. "It was worse than I thought. It was...impossible. It doesn't make sense."

Dawn took one of the Doctor's shaking hands into her own, squeezing his fingers in a fleeting hope to comfort him. He smiled gratefully, but dropped his gaze to the floor. "I don't know if we can win this one."

The words settled in Dawn's heart, where she felt the dread of earlier develop into something much more. She had seen the Doctor beat Ice Warriors and Werewolves without a hint of fear or anxiety. What on earth could be scaring him so much? What could had destroyed an entire floor of the UNIT base so quickly?

Dawn looked over her friend's dishevelled state. His hair was out of control, and not in his usual rockstar sort of way. It was dusty and unkempt and almost seemed whiter than usual. The lines beneath his eyes cut deeply into his face, making it look like he hadn't slept in years. His clothes were wrinkled and his shoulders sagged, as if his ripped jacket were weighing him down.

From somewhere in the beautiful London landmark, the unmistakable sound of screams and militia entered the room. Dawn held tighter onto the Doctor's hand, steeling herself for the fight that was surely ahead.


	49. Stuck on the Slow Path (6)

**Slight mentions of PTSD (nothing major)**

Stuck on the Slow Path (6)

"Where do we start?"

Dawn's voice came softly through the deep silence of the room, and hardly managed to reach the Doctor's ears, let alone his brain. The teen cleared her throat and squeezed her friend's hand tighter. "Doctor; what did the alien do exactly? Did it have a weapon? Claws?"

Kate gave Dawn an encouraging smile, stepping beside the pair. "If it was electrical impulses, we can disable it from here...Doctor!"

The Doctor jerked as his name was called his eyes still glazed over, staring at a spot on the distant wall. Slowly, his mouth fell open. Dawn noticed a tremble in his lips. The Time Lord was terrified. As he spoke, his voice wavered slightly. "It...it wasn't that. It was...worse. Much worse."

He sank to a crouch, rubbing his hands over his face agitatedly. Dawn knelt beside him, rubbing his back. Kate merely bent over, her eyes glistening with worry. "What happened?"

The Doctor's hands lowered. "The Time War. It...it must be telepathic. It brought images of the war back. It did the same to the UNIT soldiers...they were confused. They were afraid. They didn't know what they were doing."

Dawn felt her heart drop to her stomach as she realized what must have happened. Kate turned her face to the floor. "It's like it's weaponising our bad memories. Inflicting PTSD on everyone at once. How can it do that?"

The Doctor shook his head, but he seemed absent, staring into the distance. Just when Dawn thought he hadn't heard Kate's question, he replied, "My defenses were useless."

Dawn nudged him lightly. "Don't beat yourself up. It's bloody telepathic."

"I used to be better at blocking that sort of thing. I used to be able to close the doors to memories I didn't want shown. It broke down all of my doors so easily."

The Doctor released a sigh, and they sat in silence for a moment, until Dawn stated, "It reminds me of a Boggart. Taking your biggest fears and using them against you. It's like a Boggart mixed with a Dementor."

The Doctor smiled, if only slightly, and then widened his eyes. "We need joy."

Kate rolled her eyes as the Timelord jumped to his feet. "Doctor, I love Harry Potter as much as you do, but honestly, this is putting too much faith in J.K. Rowling."

The Doctor grabbed Kate by the shoulders, more awake than he had seemed all day. Dawn felt her lips curl into a smile. The wild blue eyes of her companion danced in the light of the daylight streaming through the shattered window to the left. A grin even played at his features. But when Dawn caught the despair still lingering in his eyes, she felt her smile falter. He was acting. She knew him too well to be fooled.

"Trust me, Kate. This is science. This will work." His voice was strong, and full of childlike energy, but it did nothing to bring back Dawn's trust that he was actually okay. She made a mental note to watch him carefully for the rest of the day.

He stood to his fullest height, spinning around the room full of miserable, terrified people. "We can't fight fear and guilt with fear and guilt. We need happy. We need positivity. That's what everyone says, isn't it?"

Dawn grit her teeth as she watched him fly across the room like a carnival ringmaster, stirring the exhausted, hurting people into motion. She almost called out his name, but a young soldier did her job for him. His eyes were rimmed with pink, and his gun lay broken on the floor beside him, just next to another young man, lying still on the concrete. "We can't always be happy, sir. We've just lost so many people. We've just...we've just…"

The Doctor leaned close to the man. "I know. Trust me, I know. But we need to be happy. For them. For the people who care about us. So that we can protect them. So that we can stop the monsters. So smile, eh? A smile today can save the world."

The Doctor glanced around the room as he paced back to Dawn. A few more faces were turned to him in curiosity. Some even risked optimism. "Take every bad memory you have and lock it away. We need only good things today. That's the only way we'll survive. Tell everyone you know. Tell the world that joy is going mainstream again. Think only happy thoughts."

As the soldiers and scientists went to their phones and looked up various cat videos and google articles, Dawn took a deep breath. A heavy weight sat in her chest, and her stomach was flooded with fear, dread, and every other bad emotion one could feel in their stomach. The Doctor's empty, tired eyes met hers and he smiled, though it only quirked one half of his mouth. "Happy, Dawn. Happy, happy, happy."

The teen looked down, trying her best to find joy, but all around her was death and destruction. "Humanity isn't exactly an optimistic race. It's going to be impossible to make them all happy. People have been trying that for centuries."

"It's our only chance, Dawn."

The teen faked a smile, but all she could think about was the fight she had with the Doctor earlier that day and the horror she had felt when she saw the people lying on the dirty floor. Sometimes being alive just meant you had to shed a few tears and frown a frowns. The Doctor was trying so hard, though, and his smile would've looked genuine if Dawn hadn't seen the darkness in his eyes. So she grinned, toothily, and texted Bryant and Fitz to do the same.


	50. Stuck on the Slow Path (7)

**Hey everyone! School just started again and I think I'm going to have to go back to just one chapter a week, at least for now. Thank you sooo much for reading and reviewing, it really means the world to me. Enjoy!**

Stuck on the Slow Path (7)

The Doctor bounced around the room, an eerie grin plastered to his face. It was almost a little bit frightening.

"Come on, you can do it. This can't be the worst day in human history. This is just a passing thing. Crack a smile!"

Dawn glanced around the room. One or two pairs eyes had lit up, but the majority stayed staring frozen at the walls and floorboards, too deep in their misery to even hear the Timelord's ramblings. When the Doctor started back towards Kate, Dawn watched his facade drop. His voice lowered as the older woman bent her head to hear him better.

"Do you have any ideas?"

"I don't have a clue what we're fighting here; I haven't even seen it. And I don't know how to make my team happy again. I wish I could, but some things just can't be fixed with a joke."

Dawn approached the adults apprehensively. "Ugh, I was just thinking...maybe it's only feeding on the people in here. You know? Because I've texted my mum five jokes and she's loved all of them but that alien is still rampaging through the hallways. Maybe we can't use outside help. Maybe it can only connect with people who've seen it."

The Doctor eyed his companion proudly. "I don't say it enough; you're a genious."

Kate crossed her arms. "There's still the issue of making people happy on the worst day of their lives."

With a wink, the Doctor replied, "Don't worry-I've got it covered. You two call every room you think might have seen the alien; put it on speakerphone."

He spun around suddenly, clapping his hands loudly so the sound echoed through the dank space. A few heads turned, all solemn. "Everyone...just think. Think of the people you love. The people you are here for today. The one's you fight for or find cures for. Picture them as clearly as you can."

Dawn glanced up from her phone to find a couple of bowed heads. Some even had the traces of a smile written across their lips. The teen's eyes widened. He was doing it. He was really doing it.

"-Now think of this: why do you fight for them? Why do you risk everything for this person? Is it because you want to make them happy? Is it because it's your duty? Is it because you love them? Maybe it's all three."

Kate looked up now, and gazed around the attentive room. Every face was locked onto the Doctor; eyes sparkling. He had them. He really had them.

"-What's your favorite memory with this person? Was it when you went to the carnival together? Was it the first time you hugged or kissed? Was it every morning, when you knocked elbows in the kitchen making breakfast?"

Smiles grew around the room. Dawn could've sworn it was brighter, as if joy were generating light.

"-This person cares about you. They love you unconditionally. And that can't be taken away; especially not by a blue alien who attacks joy and love and poisons with hatred and fear. So just smile. I've seen love take down a legion of Cybermen and I've seen love nearly destroy the universe. Don't doubt it's power. Don't be underestimate it. And don't ever run away from it."

The Doctor backed away as UNIT soldiers wiped their eyes and scientists clapped. His eyes were bright and shining, from passion or tears, Dawn couldn't clearly tell. Kate raised the phone in her hand so they could all hear the cheering from the other end. Another room inspired. Another room laughing and crying happy tears.

As the Timelord neared, Dawn sprinted towards him, wrapping her arms around him tightly when they met. He returned the gesture, chuckling lightly. He heard Dawn sniffle once or twice. "How was that?"

"You can be such a softy sometimes and when you are-"

Dawn dug her forehead into her friend's shoulder, blinking back tears. She wanted to just stay in that moment forever, in the middle of a beautiful hug with a wonderful person surrounded by friends and other good people. So she held on. She kept her eyes closed and let every other sense sink into her memory.

The feeling of the Doctor's old beat up jacket beneath her fingertips and his bony shoulder holding her head in place.

The smell of clean laundry mixed with dirt and grime.

The taste of tears that had spilt into her mouth, salty and bitter.

The sound of sniffling and happy phone calls to relatives and the slow breathing of her exhausted, wonderful companion, whom she never wanted to lose. Whom she never wanted to hear stop breathing.

So she held on.


	51. Stuck on the Slow Path (8)

Stuck on the Slow Path (8)

When the Doctor's tired voice softly murmured in Dawn's ear and he carefully let his arms loosen from his companion's back, Dawn finally opened her eyes and returned to the present. To her left stood Kate, solid and professional as ever, giving orders to a few soldiers, whose eyes were focused and bright, despite being rimmed with tears. The Doctor was steadily making his way for the far door, where the blue alien had left through earlier. The human followed her friend slowly, stepping over broken glass and toppled computers as she went.

Smoke surrounded the teen's face, forcing her to cough a few times, and making it nearly impossible to keep an eye on the disappearing Timelord. Just before she gave up and went back to Kate, though, she took another step and almost crashed into her companion, who was standing stock still in the middle of an aisle of desks. His face was turned to the side, just out of view of Dawn. She followed his gaze to a young woman lying on the floor, eyes open but staring blankly at the ceiling. The teen felt her stomach flip.

"I should have listened to you."

The Doctor's voice came gravelly and low, his eyes unblinking with the shock of it all. Dawn wrapped a tentative hand in his and squeezed his fingers, but there was no response. From this close, she could see his lips trembling.

"No. I was being an idiot, Doctor. You were kind and accepting."

The Doctor turned to his companion sharply, his eyes wide. Dawn let her hand fall to her side. "I should have known better. I shouldn't have been so...naive. So blind. I should have questioned him more; been skeptical."

Dawn furrowed her eyebrows. "Doctor, listen to me. What happened here...it's a tragedy. But becoming cold? Being hard on everyone you meet just because they might be a threat? That's not the answer."

The Doctor sighed deeply, dropping his head almost to his chest. When he looked back up, his eyes questioned Dawn's. "Then what is the answer?"

The teen took both of her friend's hands in her own and held them, using his weight to lean back and swing forward again. "We laugh."

A smirk played on the girl's lips. Her eyes were shining, like they did just before a new adventure. "We smile. We move on. And then we meet more people and, hopefully, help them."

The Doctor glanced to his right, where the young woman still lay, cold and broken, on the dirty floor. "I think I've done all the smiling I can today."

Dawn stood upright again and let go of the Doctor's hands. As soon as she did so, he walked over to the soldier and knelt beside her. Silently, Dawn watched him place a gentle hand over the woman's face, whispering an apology as his fingers closed her eyes. For a moment, he stayed next to her, his hands leaned limply over his bent knees, his mind working furiously. Then, he stood, and slowly turned back to Dawn.

"Back to the TARDIS?"

"Yeah...it's a long walk, though. Maybe Kate can give us a ride."

They started towards the front of the room, the Doctor's hands in his pockets, Dawn's scratching her arm absentmindedly. At a certain angle, it would've looked like nothing had happened; like they were just two friends walking out of a building together. Then again, if you took a picture from the front, you would see the hurt and disbelief buried in their eyes. You would notice the heaviness that lay in each step the pair took; the lack of control over their facial features. The nervous laughs; the sudden, barely suppressed tears that they blinked back every few minutes. It was tragedy and it was friendship and it had become their everyday; nothing more, nothing less.


	52. Sleep Fear

Sleep Fear

As Dawn followed the Doctor through the back alley behind the café, her eyes wandered over to the familiar 'employees only' door. It seemed smaller somehow, like your bedroom after you've left home. It brought her an old peace and calm, but also set in a heartache; a longing for the past that no longer existed. Difficult days do that to people, and this had certainly been one of those days.

When she stopped beside the Doctor, her eyes shifted lazily onto the TARDIS door. The Timelord's fingers were fumbling with the key, scratching it against the keyhole a few times before it actually went in. Dawn turned up to him with worry furrowing her eyebrows, but she dropped it as they clambered in, crashing through the entranceway and slamming the door shut behind.

The TARDIS welcomed them warmly, but neither occupant seemed to notice. Their eyes gazed absently, feet shuffling towards the console as if sludge stood in their way. When they finally reached the hexagonal metal control deck, both human and Timelord leaned on its surface in exasperation, their eyes covered warmly by their lids.

After a moment's silence, Dawn lifted her chin and watched the Doctor. He was leaned with one arm on the console, the other holding weakly onto the television screen. His eyes were still closed, his mouth set in a frown. "You should get some rest."

At the girl's soft voice, the Doctor perked up, adjusting himself so he was held up only by his feet. "I'm fine. You can go to sleep, if you want."

Dawn shook her head slowly and took a step towards her friend. One of his eyes watched her as he pulled down a lever and dabbled at the controls. As his companion neared, the Doctor took a step around the console to punch in a few more coordinates. Dawn followed, slow but determined.

"Come on, Doctor. Even Timelords need to sleep sometimes."

The older man rested both of his hands on the console and bent his head down. Dawn noticed his eyes droop shut again, but his right foot tapped incessantly against the cold floor. The teen locked his arm in hers carefully. His head shot up immediately, and she felt him stiffen at the sudden contact, but his fear quickly dissipated and he soon sunk into it himself, letting his head drop down again. Dawn leaned her head on his shoulder, staring at the rise and fall of the Time Rotor in front of them.

"Where are we?"

The Timelord took a deep breath in as he picked his head up, eyes locked on the controls again. A light danced in his irises anytime Dawn mentioned the TARDIS or travelling in any way. She noticed every time, and it made her lips curl into a tiny smile.

"In orbit above Jupiter. We should have a good view of the Red Spot from here. A storm big enough to destroy the entire Earth."

Dawn's private smile grew as her friend clicked a few more buttons and switches. "I shifted the TARDIS' gravitational field, so we shouldn't be able to go any further than the doorway."

Slowly, still arm in arm, Doctor and companion strolled to the two rectangles that always promised adventure; that always led to fantastic sights. Tonight, it was just going to be a nice view. Still, that was enough for the knackered time travellers.

Dawn pulled open one side as the Doctor pulled the other, and together they admired the exquisite sight that met their tired eyes. Stars lay silently dancing in the distance, covered only by the orange sphere swirling in front of them. An enormous red spot took up nearly all that they could see, it's winds twisting and curling the colors into new patterns as they watched. All was silent. All was peaceful.

Dawn sank down to her knees, pulling the Doctor down with her slowly, and they sat in the doorway for quite some time, taking in the sight before them. At one point, Dawn reached out and felt the glass-like forcefield holding them securely in the spaceship, blinking slowly and letting her mouth fall open in a wide smile. Travelling with the Doctor was never going to grow old. There was always something new to be found, even when they weren't actually on an adventure.

After what could've been hours or days of watching the alien storm (Dawn could never keep track of time on the TARDIS), both the Doctor and his teenage friend leaned on their respective sides of the doorway, strategically keeping out of each other's leg space as they lay back against the wooden frame.

Dawn crossed her arms comfortably over her chest, taking in all around her through half-shut eyelids. The Doctor lay directly across from her. Shifting and snuggling deeper into his jacket that seemed too big for him at he moment. He looked like a kid in a car ride home with his father's suit wrapped around him. His eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling ever slower as he drifted off to dreamland. Dawn's lip quirked into something like a faint smile.

Dawn turned just a little to the left and found the depths of space awaiting her, calling to her, calming her. The light reflected off of Jupiter was giving everything a beautiful orange glow, like the first touches of sunrise. Dawn watched the colors swirl on the planet below. They collided with each other, and formed images. It was like guessing the shapes of clouds. Alien clouds.

Slowly, the colors began to swim together, and ultimately faded to black as the teen's eyes shut. As both human and Timelord fell into deep sleep, the TARDIS hummed quietly on, turning down the lights and reinforcing the gravitational shield to further protect her occupants. For a time, all was perfect.

* * *

Dawn's eyes cracked open as sounds of whimpering and muttering entered her ears. Her eyebrows drew together in confusion, her brain already forming questions though she was still half asleep. As her eyes adjusted to the strange orange light, she watched the Doctor, much less peaceful than she had left him.

His breathing was harsh now, his chest rising and falling erratically. Sweat glazed his forehead. He was burrowed deeper in his jacket, his knees bent close to himself, his head leant awkwardly against the doorframe. He'd definitely awake with some achiness and pain.

But of all this, the worst sign was the despair his seemed lost in. His lips were murmuring something unintelligible, trembling. His head shook every so often, as if pushing away a bad thought by force. As Dawn watched and wondered what to do, the Doctor's condition grew worse still. Murmurs became whimpers, which developed into cries. Dawn heard her own name shouted by her friend more than once as his desperation rose. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he practically cried in his sleep. It was at this point that Dawn fully awoke, scared but determined to help her best friend.

"Doctor?"

Her small utterance made no change. The Timelord's cries were cutting into her now, nearly coaxing out her own tears. The teen crawled to the Doctor, careful to avoid his stiff arms and tight fists. Very slowly, she put her hand on his shoulder. "Doctor, it's alright...Doctor?"

She shook him softly, feeling her nerves dance on the edge. He didn't yet wake up, still deep in his misery. She shook him once more, calling his name louder and clearer. This time, the Timelord's eyes flew open, and he sat up so suddenly Dawn had to jump back to avoid colliding heads. His breathing seemed to double in speed as his head flipped back and forth wildly, searching for something to lock onto. Blue eyes met brown.

Dawn had both of her hands over his shoulders now, rubbing circles with her thumbs to calm him. "I'm here, it's okay. Just a nightmare. You're okay."

The Timelord's breath came back to him gradually. Dawn sat beside him as he wiped furiously at his wet eyes and cursed his trembling fingers. When his hearts were finally beating somewhat normally, he spoke.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Scaring you."

Dawn shook her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. It was a nightmare. Happens to everybody."

The Doctor sat up, leaning crossed arms on bent knees. "Usually people get scared when I have nightmares."

"Is that why you never sleep when I'm here?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Could be part of it."

He sighed deeply, dropping his head onto his arms. Dawn leant her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Without picking his head up, the Doctor muttered, "It was more of today."

He picked his head up. "Destruction. Screaming. Soldiers shooting each other. Same old, same old."

Dawn turned her head up and followed her friend's gaze out the door, to the space and planets that lay beyond. A smile suddenly appeared on the Doctor's face, his voice softening.

"It's still beautiful, though."

"What?"

"Life. The universe. It's beautiful. Even on days like these."

Dawn smiled at that, her eyes falling on the outline of the Doctor against the star-streaked space behind him. Half of his face shone orange, the other was an eerie yellow cast by the TARDIS. It all really was beautiful, sitting in the TARDIS threshold, gazing out at the cosmos. One could feel infinite and oh so tiny at the same time. But now wasn't the time to think of the great questions.

Dawn leaned her head back on the Doctor's shoulder, closing her eyes. As she drifted off again, she felt his thumb stroke the hair of her bangs, his warm hand on her head lulling her deeper into sleep. Perhaps life wasn't perfect, but the Doctor was right. It is beautiful.


	53. Paint the World (1)

Paint the World (1)

Just a week had passed since the blue alien's fatal attack on UNIT, but to Dawn and the Doctor, it felt like a lifetime. As soon as they had awoken from their exhausted nap, they had flown off into the galaxy, chasing down adventure, saving worlds. The TARDIS had come back to life, her lights flickering in excitement as her occupants danced around the Console deciding where and when to go. Human and Timelord seemed unable to stop moving, even for a second. Instead, they ran, faster than ever before. Perhaps they were running from the past; running from the hurt and the confusion, but if they were, neither said it.

On the seventh day of their high-adrenaline rebirth, the Doctor gave Dawn a crooked grin that always meant adventure. The teen smiled back, turning to watch the rise and fall of the Time Rotor. It seemed bluer than normal. More vibrant.

The Doctor flitted around the controls, turning this, pushing that, until the final hum of the TARDIS' landing sequence echoed through the space. The time travellers met each other's eyes. Dawn was practically dancing where she stood, leaned over the Console.

"Where are we?"

The Doctor raised his eyebrows and clasped his hands together as he backed up a few paces. Then, he nodded towards the door, a light bouncing in his eyes. Dawn grinned widely at him and sprinted to the entranceway. He was at her side in an instant. The teen turned up to her friend as she held both door handles. "Ready?"

"Always."

They shared one last smile before Dawn pulled open the doors, revealing a mass of color and people, all jumping around wildly, laughing and cheering. Dawn stepped out, spinning in slow circles as she took in all of the clouds of colored dust and vibrant music pounding in her eardrums. The Doctor leaned down close to her.

"The Color Festival of Glen Poe, a planet in the Starburst Galaxy."

"Starburst?"

"Once a year, their sun's gases change, just for a day, and it reflects a whole rainbow of colors. It doesn't usually change how anything here looks, but they watch it through telescopes and celebrate it with a big party, with lots of paint and sweets."

Dawn nodded as she looked around the crowd. A conga line had started just a few meters away. In another direction, children threw paint at each other, all smiling and giggling. It was impossible to see much further because of the thick clouds of colorful dust, so it looked like the festival continued forever.

The Doctor was staring up at the swirling clouds of blues, reds, yellows, and every other color you could imagine. Dawn followed his gaze and was soon lost in the haze of mixing and combining colors. Her brown eyes shone unblinkingly towards the sky, her mouth parted just slightly.

She was knocked out of her lost stare only when a cold shower of paint washed down her clothes. She turned to the source to find the Doctor holding something like a sprinkler or garden hose extension. He had a mischievous grin set on his face. As he started to raise the device towards her again, Dawn ducked, putting her hands up protectively, and searched the ground for a defense.

When she stood back up, she had a clump of soft paint-balls. They were exactly like snowballs, but they were definitely man-or alien-made and were warm in her hands. The Doctor's eyes widened as Dawn pulled her arm back. He dropped the sprinkler to the ground and brought his arms up to block, but too late. The paintball collided in an explosion of color into his chest, messing his jacket and the bottom half of his face with blue and yellow. Dawn couldn't contain her laughter.

The Doctor shook his head with a playful, if a bit unnerving, grin curling his lips. Without another word, he picked the sprinkler back up and cranked up the power. Dawn hastily scooped up a few more paintballs, chucking one at the Timelord immediately. He was ready, though, and dodged it easily, slowly approaching with the menacing sprinkler in his grasp.

When he was just a meter away from the young teen, he raised the sprinkler. The colors shot out, blending together. This wasn't a shower anymore; this was a downpour. The Doctor couldn't even see Dawn beneath the wave of gooey paint. "Dawn?"

He lowered the device, searching the ground before him for his companion, but she was nowhere to be found. The Timelord let the sprinkler drop beside him. "Dawn? Where'd you go?"

His eyes danced among the laughing children and floating dust particles. Sighing, he shook his head, standing with his hands resting on his waist.

"Ahem!"

The Doctor spun around to find Dawn, standing in the midst of the colors and the powder. "Dawn, how did you-?"

A paintball slammed into the Doctor's face before he could finish his question, nearly knocking him over with the force of it. He heard Dawn's laughter ahead of him as he spit out paint that had gotten into his mouth. The entire left side of his face was completely covered with the stuff. He wiped furiously at his eyelid with his jacket sleeve, though even that was still covered in slightly dried paint.

He heard Dawn approach and instinctively brought his hands up defensively, jerking his head away with his eyes closed. The teen touched his arm comfortingly. "Calm down, I don't have any left."

Carefully, the Doctor opened his eyes and lowered his hands, watching her skeptically. Dawn looked him over with an almost apologetic smile on her face. "You're a mess. Come on, let's go get you cleaned up. I saw a sign for a rest area nearby."

She took him by the arm through clouds of dusty paint, throwing the dancing children near the stereo a quick smile as she went. When they finally reached the rest area, an expansive, bright convention center with food stalls and paint shops, Dawn led the Doctor to a bench and sat him down. She looked him over again, shaking her head.

The left side of his face was caked in purple and green paint. It plastered his hair, making it stick up in odd places, and dripped down onto his collar. His jacket was still covered from her first paintball, albeit dried and crusting. Blue and yellow webbed out from the center of his chest. His left sleeve also had a blend of purple of green from wiping off his face.

The Timelord beneath all of the paint was still smiling, though, and his eyes were shining, staring into the distance. Dawn went off to find napkins,

But he didn't really hear her. It wasn't often that he was able to forget everything, just for a moment, and have pure fun. The convention center buzzed around him, filled with people laughing with their friends and ignoring the problems of their daily lives. And, for once, the Doctor could join them in their ignorance. Dawn had come back with a stack of napkins and two bottles of water, saying something about him being filthy and her being hungry. The Doctor wiped at his eye, and Dawn swatted his arm away, muttering that she had brought napkins for a reason. He didn't find it necessary to tell her that he was wiping away emotion, not silly paint. Dawn poured water onto his head and he didn't even complain about the iciness of it dripping onto his neck. Dawn raised an eyebrow at him, but shrugged it off dabbing with a napkin at the sticky paint. The Doctor wiped at his cheek with that same unconscious smile softening his features.


	54. Paint the World (2)

Paint the World (2)

When the Doctor was finally presentable, (though paint was still locked between the fibers in his jacket and twisted in the curls beneath his ear), he and Dawn made their way slowly into one of the never ending queues at the nearest food stall. The woman in front of them eyed them curiously as they took their place behind her. Softly, she muttered to the woman beside her, "I thought there were washing stations outside."

Dawn raised a perturbed eyebrow at the back of the woman's head, but dropped it as the other woman smiled apologetically. The Doctor seemed completely oblivious to the insult they had just endured, staring up at the glass ceiling. His mouth seemed to be working rapidly, murmuring his thoughts faster than an auctioneer. Dawn nudged his arm. "You okay?"

He didn't respond at first, his eyes still locked on whatever was happening with the roof. The teen shook her head slightly, but turned up to follow his gaze all the same. Her lips parted instantly.

The windows creating the ceiling above had been spotted with colorful paints just a few minutes before, when they had been washing the Doctor's hair in the central fountain. Now, among the rainbow of dots and splotches, were a growing number of black and gray paints. A white splatter here and there finished the effect.

Just as Dawn turned back to the Doctor to ask him what was happening, a few people ran in from outside. One of them was a young man, using the towel around his neck to wipe away some last bits of paint from his cheek. Dawn could hear him and his friends laughing and chatting excitedly.

"I guess they added some new paints this year."

"Maybe they wanted a retro look? Remember those old Earth...what were they called?"

"Telley…telley something's, right?"

"Yeah. They used to show just black and white and gray."

"First time for everything, right?"

The Doctor was beside them before Dawn even realized he'd left the queue. She glanced sorrowfully at the turkey wraps and cookies sitting on the counter just five people ahead before dashing off to his side.

"What did you just say?"

The poor man's eyes widened, casting fear and a cry for help towards the friends beside him. "I'm sorry, sir?"

Dawn put a hand on the Doctor's arm as he went to lean even closer to the petrified man. He coiled back instantly, letting her take his place beside the towelled twenty-something. "We heard you talking about the paint. You said they never used this kind before."

The man seemed to relax, letting out a slow, shaky breath. "Y-yeah. Usually it's just the rainbow colors and that sort of thing, you know? But we were just out there and there was some black and white paint, too."

"And they've never done that before?"

"Not in my lifetime, no."

Dawn let the man go off with his friends. She noted with embarrassment that they were walking twice as fast as they had been earlier. "We've gotta work on your people skills. I've never been much of a talker, but you just pounce on them, don't you?"

She looked up at the Doctor, who was standing stiffly with his arms at his sides. "Doctor?"

"Wrong."

Dawn's eyebrows creased. "What's wrong?"

His sharp, birdlike features turned sharply on his companion. Adventure dilated his pupils. With an air of excitement, he said, "Wrong!"

As he waltzed towards the door, Dawn followed eagerly behind. Her heart rate was rising. Her lungs were feeding her more air. A crazy, wonderful day waited for them. A day that would be filled with running and exhaustion and fun, Dawn just knew it. Still, she kept her smiling to a minimum as the doors in front of them suddenly burst open with a flood of people.

The Doctor grabbed Dawn by the shoulders and led her behind an abandoned stall, kneeling down behind the thin, wooden counter. The people entering kept coming, some shouting, some looking for loved ones. All of them were covered in black and white paint.

Beside him, her shoulder still grasped firmly in his hands, Dawn turned confused eyes towards him. "Why are they all so afraid? It's just paint, isn't it?"

As soon as the words left her lips, as if she had let loose a curse of some sort, a low buzzing sound reverberated through the convention center. The Doctor's hands instantly left Dawn's shoulders to cover his ears, though it did little to protect him from the shocking noise from just out the door. Shapes blurred in front of him. Colors blended together and crossed over each other. The Doctor shut his eyes and waited for it to pass.

After what felt like at least one second of eternity, the sound dissipated and muttering spread across the gathering of people. The Doctor opened his eyes hesitantly to find Dawn steadily lowering her hands from the side of her head. When his hearing seemed to have completely returned, he tested his voice. "There are some sentences you learn to stay away from."

Dawn threw him a quick, uneasy smile. He acknowledged it with a smirk of his own, then stood, looking over the paint-covered crowd with dancing eyes. The sudden reopening of the door to his right forced him back to his hiding place on the floor beside Dawn before he saw who had entered. Awkwardly, they shuffled around until they both could fit on the floor behind the counter. Dawn pushed herself as far as she could into the floor. The Doctor kept an ear raised in curiosity.

"Mo Ko Bo Lo."

Dawn lowered her eyebrows as the Doctor raised his.

"By order of the Shadow Proclamation, we hereby terminate the Color Festival of Glen Poe. Please return to ordinary practices and practical usage of paint."


	55. Paint the World (3)

Paint the World (3)

Dawn tugged on the Doctor's sleeve, shaking her head. Silently, she mouthed, "Who are they?"

The Doctor, crouched as far below the counter as he could be, crawled awkwardly to his companion. With a quiet voice, hardly above a whisper, he explained, "Judoon. Intergalactic police."

Dawn nodded in understanding, then peeked over the counter. The Doctor grabbed her arm tightly and widened his eyes. She almost smiled. "We haven't done anything wrong, have we?"

"Panic spreads like disease, Dawn. News will get out that the police are here. The crowd will be scared, even the ones who didn't break the law. The Judoon will lash out; get confused and then...chaos."

Dawn unconsciously sank towards the dusty floor. "You're awfully cheery today."

"I've seen this happen. Too many times...it's always the same. Best to keep our heads down."

Dawn leaned against the protective counter beside the Doctor, trying to hear what was happening behind them. By the sound of it, the crowd was starting to murmur again. Some children were crying. Strange noises, not unlike the Sonic, started whirring.

"What the hell are you?"

One young man's fearful question seemed to let loose the terror everyone else was keeping bottled up. Screams spread throughout the Hall, making their way from the entrance all the way back to the far wall. Dawn closed her eyes as pounding feet hurried across the floor, the sound of hundreds of people running this way and that. Then, as if on cue, the Judoon's booming voices joined the chaos.

"Halt! You will all be inspected. As stated in the Shadow Proclamation-"

Suddenly, the piercing sound of breaking glass cut through the crowd. An eerie silence filled the space after the echoes, which compelled the Doctor's curious eye over the counter. Dawn opened her eyes, buy stared frozen at the dishevelled bookshelf in front of her. Prizes from whatever game had been played at this stall sat toppled over, a sad display of broken dolls and dirtied stuffed animals.

A mass of people had gathered in the back of the Hall, arching around the empty space in front of the doors. One Judoon officer and one human, holding a broken vase, stood facing each other without blinking. It was the kind of scenario that could either lead to a western cowboy shootout or a dance battle. The Doctor supposed something like the former was more likely.

"Charge: assault."

The Judoon raised a device, unmistakably a weapon, and pointed it towards the man. He faltered back a few steps, which the alien more than made up for in one step of it's own. "Plea: guilty. Sentence: execution."

The Doctor made to stand, but Dawn caught his hand. His shining eyes met hers, his mouth moving without making a sound. She shook her head sadly as the Judoon's weapon went off. The Doctor ducked instinctively back under the counter, holding onto Dawn's hand tightly. She edged closer to him without second thought.

After the initial shot, chaos took control of the Convention Hall. People ran, much faster than before, and screamed, an octave higher than they previously had. The Doctor and Dawn sat staring at the old shelves, breathing quickly, holding onto each other's hands like a life-line. Behind, the sounds of more Judoon weaponry cried out as more and more humans threw various items from nearby stalls at the strange creatures.

"Doctor, what do we do?"

"I-I don't know. I don't know."

A man was suddenly blasted into the shelf to their right, dropping to the floor without protest. He lay on the floor, completely still.

The Doctor stared at the motionless body for a moment, hardly letting a breath escape him. Slowly, a darkness entered his blue eyes, and his eyebrows lowered.

"This has to stop."

Dawn squeezed his hand again. "There's nothing we can do right now."

The Doctor sighed, looking at the floor. "I really wish I could argue with you...but you're right. Of course you're right."

Dawn bit her bottom lip as she watched the Doctor lean back against the counter and close his eyes. She followed his lead, using his shoulder as a pillow. Together they lay with closed eyes, sleep a distant dream, listening with pained ears to the screams and weaponry behind them.

It took what felt like a millennium, but finally the shouts faded to a whimper. Dawn opened her eyes first, taking in the dark, dusty air between herself and the bookshelf. The man still lay in a heap a few yards to the right.

When the sounds had completely dissipated, leaving a strangely deafening silence, the Doctor opened his eyes. Dawn noted the deep sadness that he wasn't even bothering to hide today. Paint still sat in the fabric of his shirt, a memory of joy and peace that could've been years ago. Later, they would sit in the TARDIS and forget that this happened. They would laugh about the purple flakes still dancing in his hair and have another paint-ball party. Dawn told herself this even as the Doctor stood, ever slowly, and turned to face the Hall.

He let out a deep sigh as his eyes scanned the scene. Bodies lay scattered across the floor, though not half as many as he feared there would be. Dawn got to her feet beside him, looking out at the fallen innocents with horror hidden in her dry eyes. Neither of them could cry at a time like this. Some things were too much to be held in mere tears.

"I'm sorry."

Dawn turned a puzzled eye to her friend and travelling companion. "For what?"

"Things keep going wrong. Very, very wrong. I can't; I can't take care of you."

"I never asked you to."

"You shouldn't have to ask."

The Doctor's owlish gaze turned sharply on her. Questions danced in his mind. Almost silently, he muttered, "Deja vu."

"What?"

"Deja vu. Nevermind, it's probably nothing."

Dawn walked towards the gate of the stall, which sat in front of the man lying still on the floor. Carefully, she stepped over him and went around the counter. The Doctor followed, murmuring his condolences to the man as he passed. Dawn looked around the empty Hall, her mind racing back to every past disaster they'd been met with.

A vase shining in the sunlight from the cieling window caught the Doctor's attention. It lay forgotten at the feet of the first victim of the Judoon attack. The Timelord knelt down and picked up the broken glass, eyeing it curiously. Dawn watched him, biting her bottom lip again. "Be careful with that."

The Doctor didn't seem to hear her, racking his brain for the answer to an unvoiced question. "I saw this vase at one of the stalls while we were looking for food earlier."

It was a simple statement, but Dawn knew what he meant immediately. Such enormous, horrible change could happen so suddenly and without warning. If the Judoon had never arrived, or if they hadn't looked like giant rhinos, this same vase could've been lying in a plastic bag right now. Dawn pictured an imaginary consumer clearly in her mind. The man carrying it, his face and shirt covered in paint, had his daughter sitting on his shoulders. They walk out of this Hall and place the vase on the kitchen table, filling it with red flowers. The beautiful vase sparkles in the sunlight, reminding them everyday of the Color Festival.

Instead of this wonderful figment of the imagination, the vase lie shattered on the littered floor of a Convention Hall, it's pieces strewn around bodies downed by confusion and fear.

The Doctor placed the vase back on the floor and rose to his feet. "No more."


	56. Paint the World (4)

Paint the World (4)

The Doctor turned sharply and started towards the door, his feet gliding across the floor at an unusually fast pace. Dawn jogged to catch up with him, then took two steps for each one of his just to stay with him. The young girl pushed her worry and fear down, focusing ahead like the Doctor was doing.

The Timelord's eyes were fixed ahead, eyebrows low, nostrils flaring with each new breath. As they neared the front door, his gravelly voice filled the silence still hanging in the air. "Whatever the Judoon are doing, it isn't legal. Not on a Category Five planet like this one."

"You said they're outer space police. Why would they come all the way here just to break the law?"

The Doctor pushed open the door and held it for Dawn. As it closed behind him, his eye flickered across the scene. It was too dark and dusty to see anything, clouds of black and gray paint swirling about the air. Music still blasting in the distance shook the ground. "It has something to do with the paint. Or the colors. They started dropping this black and white stuff when they arrived."

Dawn cast a raised eyebrow towards her companion. "Is it some kind of dystopic thing? The government doesn't want bright colors anymore?"

"That's one option."

"What else have you got?"

"Conservation. Maybe the Judoon need the paint for something, that's why they don't want it wasted in a festival."

They stopped once they'd gone a few meters away from the Convention Hall. Standing on the edge of the thickening dust clouds, they glanced around, searching for signs of life. After a moment of silence, Dawn turned back to the Doctor. "Why would someone want to conserve paint?"

"No idea. An artist with a big project coming up? Someone painting their mansion? Or…"

Dawn leaned closer. "Or...what?"

The Doctor's bright eyes dropped to meet Dawn's. She could practically see the light bulb turning on in his head. "Paint is made from ground up minerals and things."

Dawn nodded, lips curling into a smile. "I know. Rock nerd, remember?"

"Right, of course."

"So do you think they need the rocks and plants and things for something else? Or maybe they're running out?"

The Doctor raised his chin and gazed up at the sky. The cloud of black paint in front of him swirled suddenly into his eyes and nose, forcing him to turn away quickly and cough. Dawn coughed a few times beside him, wiping at her eyes. When they finally got themselves back under control, Dawn muttered, "They definitely don't need more of whatever's in that stuff."

"Coal."

The Doctor held his arm out in front of him, staring at the black dust that had settled in the palm of his hand. "New theory."

He tilted his hand upside down, letting the dust fall to the ground. "The Shadow Proclamation can get involved in a Category Five planet if they are putting in new climate control laws. Right now, they're burning coal to power their ships, just like the people of Glen Poe are doing to power their buildings."

Dawn pointed a finger in understanding, taking a few quick steps towards the Doctor. "They're trying to get the people to use the paint more practically, isn't that what they said? So they're changing from coal power to burning the minerals in paint!"

"Exactly."

Dawn shook her head. "So they're just trying to be more green. Doesn't that mean there's no problem here? Our work is done?"

A frown set on the Doctor's face. "The Judoon still killed innocent people. People who were afraid. People who were just trying to have a nice festival."

Dawn allowed an unconscious smile to appear on her face. "You never turn your back on anyone. You never just let things happen."

The Doctor met Dawn's eyes, his features softening. The young human took his hand in her own. "Come on, Doctor. We've still got work to do here."


	57. Paint the World (5)

Paint the World (5)

Together, the pair waded through the thick fog and ash, coughing and squinting. Though the painted air had been merely difficult to see through, the black and white coal dust was constricting and smelt of fire. A terrifying House fire, not a delicious campfire.

Dawn kept a tight hold on the Doctor's hand, worrying that if they were to be separated, she might not find him again for a long time. Every so often, a person or group of people would run past them, towards the Convention Hall. Dawn's heart ached when she realized what they would soon face; the images they would soon witness. As two young girls scampered past her, she called out to them. "Hey, you two should go stay with the DJ, I think he's still playing music."

The girls nodded in thankfulness and turned off, following the distant sound of a steady drumbeat. The Doctor gave his companion a warm smile before leading them on through the smoke.

Finally, the whir of engines and shouts of the alien tongue spoken by the Judoon entered their ears. Dawn's pace slowed, but the Doctor pulled her along even faster. The teen forced her legs to clamber on after him, though her brain was firing warning signals. When they reached a small clearing which held four enormous ships and a platoon of Judoon, the Doctor and Dawn crouched in the dusty circle surrounding them, staying hidden in the smoke and ash as best as they could.

"Find all paint cans and take them back to the ships."

The Doctor's eyebrows furrowed, eyes darkening. Dawn had seen this look many times before. The Doctor was ready to go. She only wished she could say the same.

The Timelord stood, waiting for a moment as his coat billowed in the light breeze caused by another landing ship. Dawn stayed crouched for a second longer, taking a deep breath. As the Doctor stepped forward into the clearing, Dawn rose to her feet. Shaking, she went to his side.

A few of the Judoon turned instantly to the newcomers, drawing out the strange devices Dawn had seen them use earlier. Unconsciously, she shrank back an inch or two.

"You will not interfere."

The Doctor clasped his hands together. "Well, I have some pretty shocking news for you. Interfering is basically my M.O."

The closest Judoon took a step towards them, but the Doctor didn't even flinch. The rhino's voice came grave and practically monotone. "By order of the Shadow Proclamation, you must not disturb our work."

Dawn took two steps forward, now almost in front of the Doctor. "And what is your work, if I may ask?"

The Judoon turned to her sharply. With all of her power, she tried to be like the Doctor; act cool and calm, not terrified. Scary aliens didn't like confidence in their opponents. In reality, though, her heart was hammering and her palms were sweating.

"We are switching our energy source. Paint on this planet is wasted every year on pointless activity. We will not allow it to continue."

The Doctor let his hands drop to his sides. "And what do you call pointless activity? Certainly coming all the way here was a big waste. Of time, too. That's a bit worse than a few liters of paint, I think."

The Judoon seemed almost to growl. "We will continue our mission. You may file a complaint with the Shadow Proclamation."

As the Judoon turned to go, the Doctor threw up both pointer fingers. "Wait, wait, wait."

The alien spun back around. Dawn swore she saw him raise his device. The Doctor didn't seem to notice, or, if he did, he didn't seem to care.

"Helping the environment on a Level Five planet, that's all good and fine, but I saw you murder. I saw you also hurt the environment with fuel. And I saw you land without telling anyone where; right in the middle of a giant festival. You broke at least five different laws today, big man. I don't think it's ms who's gonna chat with the Shadow Proclamation."

This time, the Judoon soldier definitely growled, and most certainly raised his device, if only to his hip. But the Doctor merely smiled. The Judoon dropped the device back to his side and instead took out a small rectangle. Holding it to his mouth, he muttered, "All troops withdraw. Back to the ships."

Suddenly, the entire battalion began marching back to the ships. The Judoon soldier they had been talking to shook his head. "We will return one day."

The Doctor didn't miss a beat. "We'll see you then. Have a nice flight."

The Judoon hissed, turning swiftly and trudging back to the closest ship. Dawn joined the Doctor in waving them off. The final ship shot off into space as the Doctor's hands fell into his pockets. Dawn turned to him with a proud smile. "Shall we go, then, Doctor?"

"Wherever and whenever you choose."

She crinkled her nose in a smile. "How about the TARDIS. I think we've had a long enough day, don't you think?"

"Yes. I agree."

* * *

"You know, I'm all for festivals and celebrations, but I'm beginning to understand the Judoon's aversion to paint."

The Doctor sat on the flight seat in the TARDIS' Console Room in front of an old, dusty stand-up mirror. He grit his teeth as he rubbed at the purple still sticking in his wet hair. The towel on his shoulders had originally been white, but it now looked like a young child's messy art project, with greens and purples splotched all over the place. Dawn was standing beside him, trying to rub the yellow out of his jacket with a bar of soap she'd found in one of the bathrooms.

"Again, I'm really sorry. But it would be much easier to clean up if the TARDIS still had that laundry room-combined-salon place that it did."

"That flood was not my fault."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Right. The TARDIS just decided to flood herself and then delete the room because of the mess she made herself."

The Doctor leaned forward, rubbing the edge of the towel haphazardly through a particularly stubborn bit of purple still crusting his hair. All he managed to do was force his wet hair into odd, gravity-defying positions. He sighed as he let the towel fall back onto his shoulders. "She was particularly cross that day."

"I had a whole weeks worth of clothes in there!"

The Doctor smiled, still staring absently at his purple hair. "It was fun shopping in future Australia, though, wasn't it?"

Dawn smiled to herself, rubbing the cloth in her hands. The yellow spot had faded slightly, thankfully. "Yeah. Who knew they'd become the leader in scarves?"

"Climate change. Does funny things."

Dawn pulled the Doctor's jacket off of the banister she'd had it leaned on and held it up for him to see. "How's this look?"

The Timelord turned to her for the first time since sitting down, then stood and went to her quickly. "When did you do this?"

The teen rolled her eyes again. "While you were in the shower. And for the past ten minutes while you were brooding over your hair."

The Doctor took the jacket from her. Softly, he muttered, "The Doctor does not brood." After a quick second, his eyes flickered up, full of sincerity again. "Thank you. It looks lovely."

Instantly, he put the jacket on. Dawn watched him with a silent smile. It had been a bit offsetting seeing him without it; with just an old David Bowie T-Shirt they'd picked up at a concert the other day (or should she say thirty years ago?). Back in his typical Doctor form, he danced around the Console, nearly running into the mirror. "So...are you ready for another trip?"

Dawn nodded urgently. "Of course."

The Doctor flipped a switch and rested his hand on a lever. "Any place in particular?"

"Anywhere and anywhen."

They shared a long smile before the Doctor replied, "Your wish is my command."

He pulled down the lever, and instantly the ship lurched, throwing its inhabitants off balance. They both held onto the Console for dear life as they flew through the Time Vortex, sailing towards the next adventure.


	58. Such a Rollercoaster (1)

Such a Rollercoaster (1)

Dawn sprinted into the sparking TARDIS, pausing only when she reached the central control panel. Instantly, she bent over her knees, panting for breath. Sweat beaded her forehead and her legs felt like jelly from the exertion of running, but a smile played at her lips. As the Doctor came dashing in a moment later, she lifted her chin slightly. The Timelord already had the doors closed and a bright, shining look in his eye. His hands clasped together in excitement.

"So, where shall we go next?"

The human rose to her full height, achingly, cringing as the muscles in her back protested. "Wait-I think outrunning the Moon Men of...what planet were we on?"

"Pall 3."

"Right. I think I need a second to recover. Who knew people with only one leg could move so quickly?"

The Doctor nodded his head. "Well, when you can leap twenty meters in a single bound, anything is possible."

Dawn smiled at the memory. The Doctor returned it, in his own quirky way, and went to the left side of the Console. His eyes darted over the buttons and screens as Dawn slowly turned to face the Time Rotor. It groaned up and down, illuminating her friend's face with an eerie blue and green light. Suddenly the teenager took a step towards the Timelord.

"Hey, do you think we could take a break from the alien for a bit? I mean, I love aliens and all,"

She eyed him curiously. When he didn't seem to frown or flinch at her words, she continued on, "but I have been missing Earth lately."

The Doctor met his companion's eyes. For a second, Dawn wondered if she had said something wrong, or if he had taken something the wrong way, at least. Then, like a rising sun on an early summer morning, a warm smile spread across his face. "Of course."

When her features had broken out in a gleeful grin, the Doctor danced around the Console, switching this lever and that. Dawn followed him, watching his automatic movements with nothing short of awe. "Where do you think we should go?"

Still pacing around the controls, the Doctor replied, "That's what I was about to ask you."

Dawn slowed to a stop behind him, biting her bottom lip. She hadn't really considered where she may want to go. To be honest, she never really seemed to know where she was lately. Just that adventure was always certain and boring days were far behind.

"I...I don't know. Not home, exactly. But nothing too eccentric."

The Doctor peered down at the blue button beside his hand. "I can set the controls to random and see what she gives us."

"Sounds great! I mean, she won't drop us into the ocean or anything, will she?"

The Doctor's eyebrows furrowed, and he opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught somewhere in his throat. He suddenly paced over to where Dawn was standing and pressed a few buttons. "I'm going to turn on the safeguards. Gravity and oxygen and all that. Just in case."

He eyed the ceiling of the ship with almost fear. She seemed to growl at him for his mistrust, her lights flickering. The Doctor raised his eyebrows, his mouth falling agape. "We've been through this! You get a bit carried away sometimes. I can't put Dawn in more danger. Not because of you, anyway."

The TARDIS seemed satisfied with his answer, slowly adjusting her lights back to their normal setting and quieting down. Dawn looked from the Doctor to the ceiling and back to the Doctor. His inquisitive eyebrows watched her curiously. "What?"

The teen shook her head. "I don't think I'll ever understand you two."

The Doctor cocked his head to the side, turning back to the Console. "Neither do I, to be honest."

The TARDIS huffed, forcing both occupants to turn up to her ceiling again. Distractedly, the Doctor read the Gallifreyan symbols on the rotating Time Rotor. He swore they had said something else before. He never would've allowed something so vulgar be written in his TARDIS…

"What do those pictures mean?"

The Doctor turned sharply to his companion. "She called me a…"

The Doctor shut his mouth instantly, turning angry eyebrows to his time machine's ceiling. "Nevermind."

Dawn eyed him oddly for another moment, but he simply hurried to the door. "Let's see where she landed us. Hopefully not in a volcano."

"What?"

Dawn froze mid step, her eyes wide. The Doctor shook his head, waving off her fears. "It's probably fine. She can't be that angry."

The teen continued forward, a little less sure than she had been before. The Doctor cast one last glance at the Time Rotor before grabbing the handle of the door. Somehow his ship seemed too pleased with itself. The lights seemed to dance with laughter. A small ounce of dread started filling his stomach.

Without turning away from the Console, the Doctor pulled open the front doors. Dawn's face instantly lit up, like a young child's does after they open a present at Christmas. The Timelord's arms fell to his sides lazily as he continued to glare at the Control Panel. The TARDIS seemed to egg him on, the lights flickering a path outside.

Dawn walked past him and out the doors. "Look! I think I've been here before, actually. Mum took me once when I was younger."

The Doctor felt a tug on his sleeve and turned to his young companion, whose eyes were bright. Her laugh was almost contagious. Almost. He still held doubts as to what the TARDIS' plans were.

"Come on, Doctor! What are you waiting for?"

The Doctor turned his eyes up above Dawn's head, feeling his heart sink. It was an amusement park. Roller coasters and carnival rides and small children. It was his worst nightmare.

Dawn stepped further out into the pavement, gazing around herself. "I haven't been here in years."

The Doctor had no choice but to leave the comfort of his TARDIS. She would've thrown him out eventually, anyway. He didn't have to close the doors behind him as he stepped out behind Dawn. She took care of that herself. The Timelord tested the doors hopelessly, but they were locked. They were going to stay that way until he went on a few rides and ate some cotton candy, too, he simply knew it. Sighing, he turned back to his companion. She was spinning in a slow circle, taking everything in. It was just after noon, and the sun was beating down harshly on the crowds of people surrounding them. Dozens of stands selling all kinds of unhealthy snacks stood lining the boardwalk to the right. Enormous structures with the occasional cart full of screaming people towered over them to the left.

Still, the smile on Dawn's face as her eyes met his was enough to lift the frown off of his face. Softly, he asked, "You've been here before? Where are we exactly?"

"Blackpool, of course!"

The Doctor felt a sharp pain ricochet through his upper body, piercing his hearts. One of his hands flew to his chest as he stumbled forward, a ringing suddenly singing shrilly in his ears. Dawn grasped onto one of his shoulders instantly, worry taking over her features. Her warm hand held his as he lowered it back to his side. "Are you alright?"

He waved her off, his eyebrows lowering. "I'm fine. Fine."

But the worst of it wasn't the jolt to his hearts, nor the strange, older voice he had heard echo Dawn's as she said 'Blackpool'. The worst of it was the lingering sensation that his brain was lying to him. That he knew something to do with Blackpool. Something incredibly important, just on the tip of his tongue. But when he tried prodding his memory, it was blank. But it wasn't empty. It was blank like a ten-part novel written only in invisible ink is blank. There was an entire story-an entire life, perhaps-that he had completely blanked on. That fact terrified him more than a looming day of rollercoasters and heart attack-like symptoms ever could.


	59. Such a Rollercoaster (2)

Such a Rollercoaster (2)

Dawn threw one last anxious glance towards the Doctor, then let the issue drop. If he said he was fine, she wasn't going to prod him. Today was about fun. She smiled as her eyes darted from food stall to carnival game to rollercoaster.

"What do you want to do first?"

The Doctor merely shook his head, his lips pursed together. His eyes were wide as they danced across the throng of people ahead of them. Dawn swore she saw him cast a daunted look up at the nearby coasters as she led them down the pavement. "Are you alright? You're not afraid of rollercoasters, are you?"

The Doctor's head whipped in her direction. "I fight Daleks everyday! I've run into the middle of Ice Warrior battles! It takes a bit more than a car ride to frighten me."

"Whatever you say." Dawn still felt suspicious, but chose to trust the Timelord, just this once.

They continued through the people and aisles of food and games before Dawn suddenly turned her face upwards, letting her mouth fall open. The Doctor followed her gaze with a puzzle brow. The teen noticed this and answered his unspoken question a moment later.

"That one's the tallest and fastest in England; maybe even the whole U.K. I've always wanted to try it."

The Doctor visibly gulped and shifted his weight from foot to foot. "We can. Do you want to?"

Dawn looked him over, noting the hint of fear resting in his eyes. His hands rubbed together incessantly, fingers interlocking and parting to some fast-paced rhythm. "Doctor, we really don't have to. I can come again with my mum or someone."

His hands fell to his sides. "I'm fine. Excited. Shall we go?"

Dawn sighed as the Doctor sped forward, then grabbed his shoulder before he could get too far. "Wait! We need passes or something. My mum and I got wristbands last time we were here."

The Doctor pulled his pad psychic paper from his inside jacket pocket with a smirk. "Covered."

The pair passed the attendant, the Doctor flashing the 'tickets' and Dawn flashing a smile. Finally, they found themselves standing at the back of a very long queue, in what felt like a cattle shoot.

The Doctor leant against the fence, crossing his arms and staring at the ground. For a moment, Dawn thought he was having second thoughts, but then his head picked up and he asked quickly, "What's this ride called?"

Leaning against the opposite railing, Dawn replied, "The Big One."

The Doctor smirked again. "Not creative geniuses here, are they?"

Dawn chuckled, partially from nerves, and partially because she realized he was using sarcasm because he was secretly terrified. It was odd seeing the big, bad Timelord so anxious about a human amusement park ride. It made him seem a bit more human, or at least, more down-to-Earth than the separate, god-like image he usually held in Dawn's mind.

The queue pushed forward a few steps and, reluctantly, the Doctor shifted over. Dawn looked behind them and saw that a dozen people had gotten into the queue behind them. "Guess there's no going back now."

She regretted saying it as soon as she had, as the Doctor glanced at her with wide, deer-in-headlights eyes. She laughed it off awkwardly. "Just a joke. We can leave anytime you want."

The Doctor seemed to steel at her declaration, standing up straighter and taking another step towards the person ahead of him. "That won't be necessary."

For ten more minutes, the queue slowly shifted forward, until finally they were close enough to see the cars taking off. The Doctor was staring down the park attendant at the controls. The poor kid avoided eye contact as he pressed the buttons and wished the people in the car a good journey. The rush of the takeoff seemed to call the Doctor back to the present. Instantly, he turned forward, watching the back of somebody's head.

"Interesting thing, roller coasters. Did you know the first were specially constructed hills of snow called 'Russian Mountains'? People would sled on them, and then they developed carts to go down them instead. It wasn't until the 19th century that coasters used wheels, and then-"

"Sir? You're holding up the queue."

The Doctor blinked out of his daze to find a young woman wearing a Blackpool Pleasure Beach T-Shirt. Ahead of him, Dawn was standing beside the cart, ready to get in. "Come on, Doctor!"

Licking his suddenly dry lips and feeling lead in his legs, the Doctor forced himself forward. Dawn was already sitting in the right side seat. Right. One foot in front of the other. Buckle in.

He found sitting in the seat beside Dawn, hearts pounding, as a few last minute guests joined their car. He tried to get his breathing under control, but that only caught Dawn's attention. Her wide, caring eyes searched his as she bent forward. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah. Fine. Fine."

He was stammering. She'd see right through that. He had to make a joke. Make her laugh. Right? That's how he calmed down. No, not her. That was someone else. Someone with Dawn's brown hair and brown eyes that held kindness and care and concern. But not Dawn. Someone from Blackpool. Someone he like to make laugh. But who was it?

His eyes fell on the park attendant at the control panel, who was covered in acne and letting his pants drop below the line of his underpants. The Timelord turned away. Watching the kid who held his life in his hands wasn't going to make anything better.

Something warm touched his fingers, and he looked down to find Dawn holding his hand in her own. The teen gave him a small smile. "Let's do this like we've done everything else. Together."

The Doctor's eyebrows furrowed further. "You...you're not her."

"Who?"

"Clara."

Dawn's mouth fell agape, but she didn't have time to respond. The car jerked forward, and suddenly the Doctor's hand flew to the bar in front of him, gripping it with white-knuckle strength. His eyes were locked ahead of him, his breathing fast and irregular. Dawn looked away as they passed through a dark tunnel, facing forward again as her companion had done.

The car began it's daunting ascent towards the skies, and Dawn risked another glance at the Doctor. His eyes were tightly shut, mouth murmuring something. Or perhaps that was just the car rattling, or the impossibly drafty wind up here. A moment later, Dawn distinctly heard the Doctor grunt, "How do you humans find this entertaining?"

Dawn felt guilty, but didn't allow herself to think on it as they passed over the hill and dropped practically into freefall. Her screams and the shrieks of those around her (including, she noted, the Doctor), echoed across the open air. A few people glanced up from the food stalls and carnival games.

A few minutes later, when the ride began to slow down on its reentrance into the dock, Dawn looked over to the Doctor again. "Alright?"

He turned to her with a deep set frown, his complexion paler and a few shades greener than she remembered. Softly, she rubbed his upper arm, apologizing and murmuring nonsensical comfort words. Guilt had returned, and now she had no life-threatening thing to distract herself with.

When the ride finally stopped and the safety bars lifted from their laps, Dawn helped the Doctor out of the car, holding his hand as he stumbled out of his seat. She held onto his waist awkwardly as she led them out of the throng of people they'd shared a car with. Somehow they made it down a short staircase, the Doctor leaning heavily on the small teenager, and onto the flat, open pavement. Relief flooded Dawn as her eyes landed on a bench beneath a tree in a grassy area away from the crowd. Softly, she murmured, "Almost there."

The Doctor dropped onto the wooden bench loose limbed. Dawn sank down beside him with an arm wrapped around his shoulder. She rubbed his arm as she looked around them, trying to pinpoint their location. The Doctor stirred beside her, lifting his head just slightly.

"That wasn't very nice."

"I know. You'll be better soon."

"Can we do dodgems instead? I always liked dodgems."

Dawn looked him over. His face was still extremely pale and he hardly seemed able to sit up on his own, let alone walk or drive. "Maybe in a little while."

The Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose, then brought his other hand up and covered his face with a sigh. "Sorry. You shouldn't have to mother me like this."

"It's fine. Not your fault. Besides, it's nice to relax for a little while. It's really a nice day out, don't you think?"

The Timelord's hands dropped back onto his lap as his face turned upwards. An innocent smile softened his features. "Yes. That it is."

Dawn returned the smile, leaning back away from the Doctor. He seemed to be coping without her, but she kept an arm close behind him just in case he needed her.

The next moments were filled with peace and quiet that had become rare in recent weeks. The sun shone brightly through the trees above the time travellers, creating shadows that danced across the pavement. Screams could be heard in he distance, but mostly it was silent but the wind. The unmistakable smell of funnel cake drifted through the air. All was right with the world. All was calm.


	60. Such a Rollercoaster (3)

**60 chapters! I never thought I'd write anything this long, and I also never dreamed I'd get this many reviews. This story is so much fun to write, and I'm glad all of you like it as well! I hope you enjoy this chapter and all that's to come!**

Such a Rollercoaster (3)

They had been sitting on the bench for well over twenty minutes, and finally the beauty of it was wearing off. The rhythmic screams had dulled in Dawn's mind so that she hardly noticed them anymore, and the sweet smells of funnel cake and sweets had become an almost sickening odor. The artificial stench of it all took over her senses. It was almost as if she could taste it; she swore she felt a pain in her teeth just at the mere thought of all of that sugar.

The Doctor's head rested on her shoulder again, his eyes either closed or staring blankly at some random piece of ground ahead of them; from her angle, Dawn couldn't tell. She softly nudged his shoulder, causing his head to lift off of her arm, if only an inch or two. "Come on. We better get up or we'll never be able to move again. Both of my legs are falling asleep."

The Doctor sat up slowly, responding to Dawn's statements with a grunt. The teen got to her feet quickly, stretching out her legs for a moment. "Haven't sat for that long in a while. It was kind of nice."

The Doctor let his head bend forward, almost to his chest. "Good. Can we stay here, then?"

Dawn put a hand on his shoulder, trying to glimpse his face beneath the dancing silver curls on top of his head. "You feeling alright? Motion sickness usually wears off by now. For me, at least."

The Doctor shook his head. "It's not just that."

Dawn waited a beat to hear a further explanation, but the Time Lord remained silent. She rubbed his shoulder briskly. "Let's go back to the TARDIS, eh? You can lean on me if you need to."

At this, the Doctor finally turned up to face her, his eyebrows in full owl mode. "That won't be necessary."

He got to his feet instantly and took a few steps down the path before Dawn could even blink. When she next looked over to him, he was five long paces away. "Oi! Wait up, old man!"

Suddenly the Doctor's hand jerked up to his forehead, his feet staggering to a stop. Dawn caught up to him immediately, giving him wide, worrying eyes.

"Hey, are you sure you're alright? We can probably find a health center or something."

"Can't."

"Wha-?"

With his other hand, the Doctor gestured lazily to his two hearted chest. Dawn deflated. "Oh, right."

The Doctor lowered his hand and kept walking, not sparing a glance towards his companion. She noted that he was walking even faster than usual. She had to take three steps for each of his as opposed to the usual two. When next he spoke, it was as if he were not addressing anyone in particular; more, thinking out loud.

"I keep having deja vu. But more than that. There's...there's a block on some of my memories. I've known about it for a while. But I think the walls are coming down. I'm starting to remember. No details, just...flashes of insight."

Dawn tried to follow his rapid speech even as she jumped around crying children and dodged flying basketballs from the outdoor arcade games. "What are you remembering?"

The Doctor shook his head as he continued on, ever faster, towards the TARDIS. Dawn was practically panting now. Short legs and very few workout sessions (besides running from aliens, of course) didn't help. When she saw the blue box in the distance, she almost smiled in relief.

The Doctor dug in his pocket for his key, still chewing over Dawn's last question and how he wanted to respond to it. When they stopped outside of the bright blue doors, his eyes finally met hers.

"It's Clara."

"Right. You've mentioned her before."

The Doctor closed his eyes for a moment, trying to think of his words carefully. "No, it's...it's more than I thought. She wasn't just a woman. She was more than that. There's so much power in those memories. And now they're pushing their way to the surface."

He got the door open and pushed his way inside, moving instantly to the Console. Dawn shut the doors behind them and followed her friend closely. "Why now?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No idea. There's...there's something else."

He shut his eyes again, this time gritting his teeth. He looked hurt, in some way, with creases around his tightly closed eyes. Dawn followed his strained arm to his pale hand, which was holding onto the Console with a white-knuckle grip. The teen's eyebrows furrowed. "Doctor, are you in pain?"

The Doctor opened his eyes. "You remind me of her. Your eyes. Your hair. Your love of Blackpool. It's all too much. There are so many...connections."

He said this last word with eyes closed again, as another wave of pain hit him. Dawn bit her lip, scanning the room for anything that could help. She was far out of her depth, and it made her afraid. Suddenly the Doctor dove around the Console to the opposite side, still holding onto the metal for dear life. Dawn followed as quickly as she could.

"I have a theory...might not work. Still. Oughta give it a try."

The Doctor opened his eyes and peered into the telepathic circuits of the TARDIS. Dawn followed his gaze and then turned to him sharply. "What is that?"

"Telepathic circuits. It connects with…"

The Doctor shut his eyes again, cringing and burying his face in the crook of his arm. Dawn nodded, "I think I got it. It connects with your thoughts and memories. So you think this'll show you what you don't know?"

The Doctor peered up at her from beneath his sleeve. "I think it'll take me to Clara."

Dawn watched him closely as he stood up straight and reached out to the telepathic circuits. Just before his fingers could delve into the odd, colorful organics, though, Dawn grabbed his arm forcefully. His bright eyes flashed into hers. "Doctor, what if there's a reason that you forgot Clara? What if you're not supposed to know something?"

His blue eyes softened as he stared into her brown ones. His voice came quieter than usual. Perhaps he was just exhausted. "Dawn, my head is screaming. There has to be a reason for that. What if Clara needs me? What if she's sending me a message? I can't ignore it. Not anymore."

Dawn let her hand slip off his arm and fall to her side. With apprehension, she watched him place his trembling hands into the telepathic circuits. The ship whirred immediately.

Both time travellers looked to each other with a mixture of fear and excitement. For all they knew, they were awakening memories that were best forgotten. For all they knew, they were sailing right into the middle of a storm. For all they knew, this was always meant to happen.


	61. Gallifrey Bound (1)

**Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long since an update. This week's been incredibly tough. I'm back, though, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Gallifrey Bound (1)

The TARDIS pitched back and forth wildly, more violent than ever before. Sounds screamed out from the inner workings of the ship and lights flashed in a rainbow of colors. Dawn held onto the Console at first, then was thrown off as the ship crashed again. Somehow, she managed to get a grasp on the railing beside a nearby staircase. She held it tightly in both of her hands even as she lost her footing and sank to her knees.

The Doctor's hands, still locked in the telepathic circuits, kept him rooted to roughly the same spot, though his knees buckled beneath him from the G-force of the TARDIS' tossing and turning. His oldest companion tried her best to spit his hands out or at least distract him; to force him to go somewhere, anywhere, else. But he held on. Through gritted teeth and angry, furrowed eyebrows, he kept his mind on Clara and kept him hands locked in the telepathic circuits.

Dawn didn't know she had been screaming until the TARDIS' deafening shrieks finally fell to a low, annoyed grumble. The ship pitched forward one more time, and then tossed back quickly the opposite way. Both travellers crashed to the floor, then, finally unable to hold onto the moody ship.

Slowly, they sat up, taking care not to rush anything. Dawn's arms felt like lead from the force she'd been holding on with, and her head had a newly forming bruise on the back. The Doctor wasn't in much better shape, his knees aching and shoulder shouting from where he'd banged into the rough, metal floor. The young teen got to her feet just as the Timelord sat up, a dazed but wide-eyed look on his face.

"Doctor, you alright?"

His owlish expression darted to her, noting her knotted hair and slightly panted breaths. He supposed he looked much the same. "Fine, I should think. You?"

"Fine."

A crowded silence filled the space between them then, as the noises of the TARDIS lowered even further. A few beeps struck out every now and then, but nothing more. The Doctor and Dawn merely stared at each other, both thinking the same thing but not daring to speak it aloud.

The Doctor got to his feet, with the aid of the Console, and eyed the screen. The coordinates made his eyebrows lower once more, but he looked away quickly and turned towards the door. It was as if something were transfixing him, in an almost hypnotic sort of way. He didn't blink or move for many moments. Dawn finally took a step towards him and snapped her fingers. Luckily, the spell broke instantly.

"Do you want to see if Clara's out there?"

The Doctor nodded, his eyes darting back and forth rapidly. Dawn looked down to find his hand visibly shaking beside him. Her eyes widened, but she instantly reached out for him, slowly entwining their fingers. She squeezed his hand in what she hoped was a reassuring manner, and smiled at him as his stare jumped to her. He tightened his hold on her hand and nodded to her.

Dawn took a slight lead to the doorway and put her hand on the handle without second thought. Just before she could pull it open, though, the Doctor gasped out a quick, "Wait!"

The teen dropped her hand back to her side and watched him for a moment. His eyes were wide again, and he had an almost boyish expression on his face. He seemed terrified. And excited. And nervous to the core. Dawn nudged him ahead of her. "I'm right behind you."

The Doctor gave her one last trusting nod of the head before dropping her hand from his grasp and reaching for the door handle. He paused for just a second, took a deep breath with closed eyes, and then unlatched the door and pulled it open. He didn't open his eyes until the door was already halfway open. The sight that met him was what he expected, but still shocked him into silence and trepidation.

The Time Rotor of a classical, all white TARDIS groaned up and down peacefully, much less agitated than his own was at the moment. The room was bright, even more so than he remembered, though that was obviously not saying much in his particular circumstance. Behind the Console stood a small body, wearing almost all dark colors. He knew who it was before she peeked her head around the Time Rotor with the widest eyes he's seen since...Clara. Where was Clara?

Ashildr, or, Lady Me's, jaw dropped as her legs carried her absentmindedly around the Console. "Oh my God, it's you."

The Doctor didn't respond, unable to think of words for the occasion. Me's eyes drifted to Dawn, who still stood behind her Time Lord companion, closing the door to the ship behind her. Me smiled cheekily. "She'll be jealous."

The Doctor tried to return the smile, but just then, a young woman opened the door to the all-white TARDIS, laughing heartily. She wore a blue dress, and her hair was a light brown, pulled back into a small ponytail. She didn't notice the Doctor at first, still lost in whatever adventure she'd just returned from. She practically danced around to close the door.

"You will not believe what I told him to get him to leave. If we weren't going back to Gallifrey today, I don't know how we'd ever travel anywhere again! Our reputation's…ruined."

The last word fell out of her lips without conscious thought, as her eyes locked onto the sad, blue ones of the Doctor across the room. They stood staring at each other for a moment, both lost for words. Lady Me grabbed Dawn by the shoulder and led her down a hallway. "Let's leave them alone for a while. I think they'd like a catch-up."

Dawn glanced back at the Doctor one last time before turning into the hallway with Me. He didn't seem to notice she'd gone. His eyes were still locked on the waitress. Clara.

In the Console Room, the Doctor and Clara had finally broken eye contact, both looking anywhere but each other as they stood frozen. The Doctor's eyes danced around the walls, counting the round things. Clara looked at the floor, trying to find the right words. Finally, she settled for whatever she had.

"You...I didn't think you'd be here. I didn't think I'd ever see you again. How did you remember?"

They met eyes again and held them this time. "I still don't. I mean, I remembered you enough to think of you. The TARDIS telepathic circuits brought us here."

Clara smiled at the ground, then looked back up at her old friend. "What's her name?"

"Dawn."

Clara took a step towards him, but stopped herself from going further. The Doctor continued, "We were in Blackpool...a lot of things had made me think of you before then. Your eyes. Your smile. Your never giving up. I knew I had to see you again, even if I barely knew you."

Clara paced towards him again. "Lucky the TARDIS brought you here when she did. I'm...I'm going to Gallifrey. Back to my death."

The Doctor's brow furrowed. Details were still fuzzy. Judging by her words, though, he knew he'd almost missed her. He'd almost never seen her again. Silently, he thanked the TARDIS.

Clara took another step towards him. She now stood directly in front of him, looking up at him like he was a beautiful mirage; an instant in time she knew wouldn't last but hoped and prayed she could will it to. Slowly, her hand raised to his face, their eyes locked. As soon as her palm touched his cheek, an explosion went off in his brain, like a big bang.

Images and memories flooded through him, ingraining in his old mind as if they had always been there, merely locked away. Thoughts and feelings towards his ex-companion rushed into his synapses. Love and frustration and every time she was too reckless and every time she drove him crazy. All of the days he had lost. All of the moments he's forgotten. The brilliance and the perfect, chaotic, majesty that made a human being.

Her thumb rubbed against his skin, bringing him back into reality. Sweet, beautiful reality. Clara stood in front of him, smiling her classic little grin. She was here. He was here. They were here, together.

He suddenly pulled her into a deep embrace, locking his arms around her like she was his only lifeline. His head burrowed into her shoulder. She returned the hug warmly, with slight surprise, her hand holding the nape of his neck. Quietly, she muttered, "I thought you barely knew me anymore. I thought you'd forgotten."

Without loosening his tight grip around his best friend, he replied softly, "Oh, my Clara, I don't think I ever really forgot you."


	62. Gallifrey Bound (2)

Gallifrey Bound (2)

The Doctor's head lifted slowly from Clara's shoulder as newly found memories danced around his brain.

Hearing Clara's voice guide him, Amy, and Rory to safety, and the flood of anger and guilt and hopelessness when he found out she had already been turned into a Dalek.

Finding that same voice, possessed by a different but utterly similar woman in Victorian dress, and then watching in screaming horror as she was thrown off of the ledge of his beautiful cloud in the sky.

Clara jumping into his time stream and him laying on the floor of an ancient, decrepit TARDIS, helpless, hoping against all hope that his Impossible Girl was still alive.

Watching the Raven pierce her chest, and feeling more pain in that moment than in the four billion years punching the wall of Asbantium.

Speaking to her in the Cloisters, knowing they didn't have time, finally telling her what they both already knew.

Pressing button of the Neural Block together, waiting in awkward apprehension, and then feeling his memories fading away. The look on her terrified face, and his attempts at calming her only bringing more fear to her big, brown eyes. His eyes closing against his every will, though he knew it was right. He knew it was right. He knew it was right.

"Doctor? Are you okay?" The Doctor blinked rapidly, but he couldn't escape his daze.

He shouldn't have come here. This wasn't good. He was never supposed to remember again. Never ever. He had been right to forget her. He had been stupid to fool himself into seeing her. Stupid, stupid Doctor.

"Doctor, look at me."

Two small hands held his arms firmly. Then one loosened its grip. Next, he felt soft fingers brush against his cheek. Instinctively, he grabbed her hand, with more force than he meant. He lessened his hold immediately, but kept her fingers in his weak grasp.

His eyes finally adjusted then, misty and blurred. He blinked and felt something wet glide down his face. His vision was still blurred. He blinked again and again, but it kept happening. Somewhere within his frantically beating chest and frog-like throat, he found his voice.

"I shouldn't have come here."

"Shhh, it's alright."

"I wasn't supposed to remember. We're dangerous. We need to be apart."

"Doctor, look at me. Look me in the eye."

His vision finally cleared enough so that he could see her, Clara, his Clara. Her eyes, her big, round, beautiful eyes. Her lips curled into a smile. "There we go."

"Clara, you're...you're going to Gallifrey today? Your...your-"

He couldn't say the word 'death'. Not about Clara. Not again. Not forever. Not her permanent death. No, no, no.

She shushed him again, stroking his hair. It didn't help as much as he wished it could.

"Yes. Yes, I have to. This is what we planned. This is the deal. Anyway, you've found someone new now."

"Dawn? But...Clara, she's not you."

"Doctor, I can't stay here forever. I have to go to Gallifrey."

"But Clara, I'm here now. I...I finally remembered you. I finally found you."

"Doctor, this is what's right. Like you said, the universe isn't going to heal until I go back."

"One more trip."

Clara's hands returned to her lap, her face steeling. "No, Doctor."

"Why not?"

"Remember the Orient Express?"

The human sighed, dropping her gaze. "Maybe you were right. Maybe it was better when you didn't remember."

The Doctor's eyes dropped, too, then. Staring at the white floor, he stammered, "What do I do now? Last time...I almost destroyed the universe. I grieved for four billion years."

Clara looked up again, allowing a tiny smile back on her face. "Do you happen to have another Neural Block?"

The Doctor shook his head. "I'll just try to remember again. The cycle will never end."

He sighed deeply, and then met his companion's eyes. "Why can't I let you go?"

Her hand brushed his upper arm. "You're a good man. And a wonderful friend."

The Doctor took her hand in his but didn't look up from the floor. "Good men probably don't destroy the universe for one person."

"No, but wonderful friends do. You're both. That's why you sometimes doubt whether you're either."

They met each other's' eyes and smiled, as only two old friends with broken hearts and anxious minds can.


	63. Gallifrey Bound (3)

**Hi friends,**

 **As many of you probably guessed, this story is starting to wind down. There are only a few chapters left to go, and then this wonderful journey will come to a close. Of course, more stories featuring Dawn and the Doctor will probably pop up in the future, but as for this specific series, I think it's time to move on to bigger and better things. I welcome any ideas for oneshots or other stories you'd like me to do someday. Thank you, again, for all of the love and dedication you've shown this story over the past year. It really has meant the world.**

Gallifrey Bound (3)

The Doctor straightened his back, sighing, and stood his full height again. Clara merely tilted her head in mild anticipation. Her eyes had a glossed over look to them, lost in the lines around her friend's eyes and lips, cherishing every inch of him now that he was here. The Timelord cleared his throat and made to speak, but suddenly faltered, letting his shoulders sag again. His head shook back and forth slowly.

"I still don't know what to say."

Clara put a hand on his without moving her stare. "You don't have to say anything."

The Doctor looked at the floor for a moment, then picked his head back up and met Clara's eyes again. "What did you do? When P.E.-Danny-when Danny…"

Clara dropped her gaze and hands for a second, rubbing her thumb with its opposite appendage. "I told you, remember? Five minutes a day."

The Doctor closed his eyes. "No, I mean, beyond that." He opened his eyes again, piercing into his companion's. "What did you _do_. How did you move on? How did you keep going?"

Clara chuckled. "You've been around longer than I have. You probably have more experience with this than I do."

The Doctor looked hurt for a moment, in which Clara regretted her last statement and almost went into a flurry of apologies, but then he smiled weakly. "You're not wrong. But I've never been good with goodbyes."

The Timelord stepped closer to the human and implored, "Please, tell me what to do."

His voice cracked slightly as he said it, which brought new tears to Clara's eyes. He was broken. Truly, heartbreakingly broken. All over her; a silly little human a foot shorter than he. Oh, Doctor.

Clara took his hand in her own and gazed up into his eyes. "I'm one chapter of one volume of your story, Doctor. You can come back and visit me anytime."

His eyebrows furrowed. "How? You're going to Gallifrey, to your-"

Clara held up a hand to stop him, her eyes closed. "I know, just...let me finish."

The Doctor sank back, eyebrows returning to their normal positions. Clara continued, "I'm always going to be with you. You won't even forget me this time. You can find me in every planet you visit and every person you save. In every note you play and every groan of the TARDIS. Do you remember what we told each other in the Cloisters?"

The Doctor nodded. Clara placed a hand on his chest. "I'm not really going anywhere, am I?"

The Doctor looked down at Clara's small hand and covered it with one of his own. A tear dropped from the tip of his nose onto their interlocked hands, and he let out an anxious laugh. He hadn't even known he'd been crying.

"Clara Oswald, I will never forget you again."

Clara smiled, feeling tears spring into her own eyes as she watched the Doctor's closely, taking in every shade she could find in them. Her voice cracked as soon as she tried to speak. "You better not."

They both laughed again, neither daring to blink for fear of missing a second of the other's company. The Doctor slowly brought Clara's hand up to his lips and kissed it softly, just as he had on Trap Street all those years ago. "Are you ready?"

Clara nodded fervently. "Let's go to Gallifrey."

* * *

The next moments passed in a flurry of movement and commotion. Dawn and Lady Me were called back into the Console room, where nobody dared make a sound; the Doctor and Clara watched each other even as they drove the restaurant TARDIS through space; and then, suddenly, they found themselves landing.

Me was first to move, taking Clara into the diner front of the time machine to speak with her. She emerged five minutes later crying for the first time in centuries. As she walked into the Console Room, she wiped her eyes roughly with the back of her hand, cleared her throat, and stated, "She wants to talk to Dawn."

Dawn glanced at the Doctor for reassurance, and then stepped into the diner, closing the door behind her as she went. Clara was sat at the counter beside the old crackly radio, still wearing her blue 'uniform'. Dawn sat beside her silently. Clara started.

"So you're travelling with the Doctor these days?"

"Yes. Yes."

Clara grinned. "Can I ask a favor?"

"Of course."

Clara took a breath, then continued slowly, "Look after him, okay? Make sure he doesn't do anything reckless or stupid."

Dawn chuckled. "That's half of his personality gone."

The two women laughed heartily for a moment. Clara finally cleared her throat and stated, "He really doesn't do well with endings."

Dawn looked at the counter, then furrowed her eyebrows at the older woman. "Should I leave before we get closer? Should I stay and risk him or me getting hurt more? What should I do?"

Clara smiled. "That's the question of the day."

She looked solemnly at her folded hands on the bar, then back at Dawn. "You should do whatever feels right. But don't leave just because it might hurt later. And don't stay just for him. You two can work out the rest, I think."

Dawn nodded, then smiled at the Impossible Girl. "Thank you, Clara. You should know, even when he couldn't remember you, you were still really important to him. He mentioned you, or whatever he knew of you, all the time."

Clara smiled distantly as Dawn made for the door. Just before she left, though, Dawn called out to her, "Do you want me to get the Doctor?"

Clara nodded. "That would be great, thanks."

Dawn gave her one last smile before disappearing into the Console Room.

A moment later, the Doctor stepped in, ever slowly, and sat at the stool beside Clara. He stared at his folded, shaking hands on the counter. Clara put a hand on both of his. "It's time."

With a shuddering breath, the Doctor brought his eyes up to meet hers. He didn't even try to speak. Clara stood, still holding the Doctor's hand, and led him towards the front door. As she reached out for the handle, though, the Timelord froze in his tracks. "Wait, Clara, there's something I need to say."

Clara spun around. "Doctor, we can't keep doing this, you know that-"

"I know. I know, I just…"

The Doctor stepped towards her, holding her hand firmly in his own. "Clara, my Impossible Girl, before you go, I...I have to say the thing we said in the Cloisters. You have to hear it again."

Clara waited with baited breath, remembering that short, wonderful conversation on Gallifrey all those years ago.

"You know I'm no good with words and feelings and...to Hell with it. Clara, I love you. And I don't think five minutes a day will ever be enough to remember you and everything I'll miss about you. Maybe an hour or two-"

Before he knew what was happening, Clara's lips were on his. For a second, they kissed, her hands holding his shoulders down to her level, and then she pulled back as suddenly as she had started, eyes leaking. "I'm sorry. I know how you are with consent and touching and closeness-"

"Clara, it's fine."

"That was the only way I know how to say that I love you, too, Doctor. More than a stupid Rom-Com romance. I love everything about you. Your stupid clothes and your goofy hair and, do you still have those ridiculous sunglasses? I love them too. You're impossible and you're the bravest, kindest, wisest person I've ever met. I'm so glad I got to have so many adventures with you, and I couldn't imagine having a better companion to travel the universe with. Thank you for making me feel special, Doctor."

Without a second's delay, the Doctor responded horsely, "Thank you for exactly the same."

Clara and the Doctor shared one last smile before she turned and left the diner, motioning for him to stay. She had to face the raven once again, on her own, as she originally planned. Nothing could've been more beautiful. Nothing could've been sadder.

The Doctor watched the spot in front of the door where his Impossible Girl had last stood long after Dawn and Me had driven the TARDIS off to a distant galaxy. Clara was gone now, and, true to his word, he was going to let himself grieve for an hour or two on this first day without her.


	64. The Dusk of the Doctor

The Dusk of the Doctor

A warm hand came to rest on his shoulder, fingers squeezing his jacket. "You okay?"

His face, buried in his arms on a metal counter, lifted to find Dawn standing beside him. He blinked a few times before he remembered where he was, then felt a shudder run through his chest. Right. Clara's TARDIS. Clara…

The Doctor tried to reply, but all that left his mouth was a drawn out, "Ughhh." Dawn seemed to understand, sinking into the closest stool. Her hand rubbed against his shoulder lightly, her eyes wide with sympathy. "Sorry...stupid question."

She gazed out the wall of windows behind him for a moment. "Looks like Ashildr's taken us back to my time, I think. She said we couldn't stay on Gallifrey too long. Something about a General who you know?"

A ghost of a smile brushed the Timelord's lips. Dawn dropped the subject, biting her lip. Suddenly, she patted his arm again. "Hey, I have an idea. Something that might make you feel better, at least a little bit."

The Doctor sighed. "Dawn, I don't think anything's going to make me feel better right now. Maybe time."

Dawn got to her feet regardless, pulling him off of his stool with both arms. "I know, I know, just trust me."

He followed her unwillingly out the door, calling back to Ashildr that they would be back for his TARDIS later. His shoes scuffed the tiled floor as Dawn practically forced him out. His legs hardly wanted to budge. Sitting in the diner in silence seemed like the best thing in the world right now. As they walked down a typical London street, the Doctor fell a few steps behind again.

"Dawn, I'm really not in the mood to do anything right now."

Dawn finally slowed to a stop, then turned to aw her companion with pleading in her brown eyes. "Just give it a chance, I swear it'll be worth it. And then we'll go right back to the TARDIS, I promise."

He relented, allowing her to pull him along until they reached a dead-end street ending in a small, broken fence that hardly blocked off the green field beyond. Dawn brought him around the strange metal 'barrier' and started up a steep hill. He almost protested again, but decided against it. Up the hill they went, slipping over pebbles every few steps, but luckily never being upended. When they reached the top, Dawn let go of him and looked with longing at the city around them.

Lights from streetlamps and houses danced against the dark blue of the nighttime sky, their yellow lights flickering like stars. Skyscrapers seemed smaller than they were from their position on the hill, shrinking into the rest of the city. It was a nice view, not superb, but with a bit of charm and character. The Doctor turned with a questioning glance over to Dawn, but froze before he could utter a word. The young woman had a memory playing in her eyes, and a powerful one at that. Her lips were pursed in a way that somehow suggested strength more than crying. Her arms were crossed over her chest, keeping her body warm, but nothing about her was small or shrinking. She was power and honor in a shivering teenager's body.

"I came here when my dad…"

Her voice came like steel. "When he left. I came here and I looked at all of the lights. I figured, if he were still in London, then…"

"Then one of those lights might be his."

Dawn nodded, the wiped at her eye swiftly, returning her arm back to its crossed position right after. "I stood here all night and yelled. Everything I wanted to tell him. Everything I never dared to say in front of him...I probably seemed crazy."

The Doctor didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything. After another moment's silence, Dawn turned to him. "I was thinking maybe you could come here and...I don't know. Find Clara in the lights or the stars. Maybe then it'll be like she's still out there."

Dawn's head spun back to the city. In a quieter, less assured course, she added, "I don't know. It's probably daft."

The Doctor watched her for a minute, then followed her gaze onto the city lights. One of those was Clara's building. Someone else is probably living in her flat. That cramped little place with three mirrors and not enough space for a smaller-on-the-inside TARDIS. They've probably never even heard of Clara, the Coal Hill teacher of the year who could stop both Daleks and juvenile delinquents with a single glance. How dare they use her light?

He craned his neck to the sky. London was too difficult to look at just yet. Still too many memories. Too much heartache. Too much bitterness and pain. The stars brought him back to his roots. His childhood. Wanting to adventure far and wide; see and do everything; meet everyone who was out there to be met.

All of those stars. The city's light pollution hid most of them, but more could be seen from this small hill than anywhere else nearby. Orion. The Big Dipper. The Little Dipper.

The Doctor's brows furrowed, eyes narrowing. A speck of light shimmered in between constellations he knew well. His brain had every star in its matrix. He knew them all by name. He had charted them. Used them even in the Confession Dial to find out where and when he was. But this star? It wasn't supposed to be there. It was dancing all by itself, untethered to any plotted system or constellation. It didn't make sense. It was impossible! Oh.

"Clara."

Dawn broke out of her trance, turning to the Doctor once more. "What?"

He pointed up at the star, his eyes glowing. "My Impossible Girl. My Impossible Star."

Dawn followed the Doctor's finger to the star in the distance, trying to rack her brain for what constellation it was in, but to no avail. She shook her head in resignation.

The Doctor put an arm around Dawn as he continued to stare up at the star, ingraining its position into his memory. "Thank you, Dawn. I...I think I'm ready to go back to the TARDIS. How about you?"

"I'm ready for adventure."

The Doctor turned down to the young teen, his eyes at least ten years younger than she'd last seen them. "Where should we go? Mars? Venus?"

Dawn looked out at the cityscape one last time, allowing a smile to break out over her features. "Anywhere. Everywhere. I want to see all of the lights in the universe."

The Doctor chuckled. "That might take a while."

Dawn nudged the Doctor with her shoulder. "Good thing I've got a Timelord then, isn't it?"

She turned up to face him, and the two time travellers shared a knowing smile. Dusk had fallen on London, but for them, it was only the beginning of a new chapter. A new beginning. A new day.


	65. Epilogue

Epilogue

Dawn was alone behind the counter, yet again, absentmindedly wiping an unremovable spot from the marble top beside the cash register. Literally nobody had come in the past half hour, and the teen was falling asleep where she stood. Even the coffee seemed drained, dripping out of the tap every few minutes, splashing into the filter below. Outside, an old car puttered by.

Dawn had closed her eyes when the jingle of the door chime forced herself up straight, blinking slowly. Softly, she muttered, "Can I help you?"

Her eyes widened, brows raising slightly as she took in the man in front of her. "Doctor! Thank God. This place has been empty all day."

He was at the counter in a matter of seconds, his face inches from her own as he leaned in. He had that old spark in his eyes. Dawn smiled.

Ever since saying goodbye to his old companion two weeks ago, their trips would always end quite abruptly. Instead of giving a promise to be back next Tuesday, or urging her to go on one more adventure, the Doctor had, in recent days, seemed more reclusive, almost introspective. As Dawn waved and exited the TARDIS, he would skulk up the steps to his favorite armchair, or would give a simple, blunt "See you"," and closed the door. More than once, Dawn stayed just a moment longer to watch him in his silent reverie. To her satisfaction, the length of time he spent sitting silently in his chair seemed to be going down significantly.

"Dawn, do you remember that star that wasn't supposed to be there?"

Dawn's brows creased. "Yes. Why?"

"It wasn't a star."

The teen had to admit she was intrigued, but first, she put a hand up to calm the riding hype of the fast-talking Doctor. "Wait, Doctor, was it just a plane or something?"

He grinned back at her, and she felt a weight in her chest lift. He was really back in action. Maybe she should try that five-minutes-a-day thing.

The Doctor went suddenly to the corner of the counter, where stood a cupcake stand. Instantly, he lifted the top and grabbed a small, chocolate frosted cake. Dawn eyed him strangely, and he put the top back on slowly. "Do you mind if I borrow this?"

Dawn shrugged, "If you pay for it."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, digging in his pocket. Dawn chuckled to herself until he dropped three £50 notes on the counter. Her eyes widened in shock, and then she laughed even more heartily at him. "Doctor, where do even get this kind of money?"

He was as clueless as ever, eyes like a deer caught in headlights. "Is that a lot?"

Dawn shook her head and pulled a few crumpled pounds out of her own pocket. The Doctor silently took back his own money, then Sonic-ed the cupcake. Dawn punched in her 'purchase' with many questions dancing around her mind.

Suddenly, the Doctor started walking towards the door, issuing just a quick, "Come on!" beforehand.

Dawn hurried around the counter and met him at the entrance. "Wait, Doctor, I can't just leave! I'm the only one working. What if someone comes in?"

"By the year 2030, computers will run this whole business. Customers should get used to it."

Dawn trudged through the doorway apprehensively, but gained energy and even a sense of humor as the Doctor flipped the 'Open' sign to 'Closed'. She shut and locked the door behind them, then grabbed her friend's hand and gave him a smile.

"What were you saying about that star that isn't a star?"

The Doctor responded with a grin, then took a big bite of the cupcake still in his hand. Dawn cackled with laughter. The Timelord beside her made sure to swallow before asking, "Ready?"

Dawn nodded. "Always."


End file.
